Double Edged Beauty
by DragonStorm85
Summary: One-shot collection. See the world through the eyes of the most overlooked kunoichi of Konoha, Tenten. Monthly themes involving the weapon goddess for the ten squared community on LJ.
1. Mistaken Identities

**Theme:** A Celebration Called Halloween

**Pairing:** Sasuke/Tenten

**Disclaimer:** obviously not mine.

**Mistaken Identities**

A knock at the door confirmed the time that flashed on her digital clock hanging on the wall. Deciding to drop the sash in her hand, Tenten rushed to answer the door, mentally slapping herself for losing track of time. Despite that one mistake, the high-ranking kunoichi was still cheerful and excited about the night's event that was to occur. Unfortunately, all that enthusiasm flew out the window the moment she opened the door and got a look at her visitor.

"What kind of costume is that, Neji?" Tenten exclaimed upon opening her door.

"I could ask you the same thing," said Hyuuga commented, carefully scrutinizing the incomplete custom his teammate had on.

"I'm running a little late," Tenten explained casually, "What's your excuse, genius?"

"You said that something with a mask would be fine," the Hyuuga Branch member stated calmly.

Tenten paused at his comment, realizing the truth of his statement. She had said that anything with a mask would be fine when Neji had asked her advice on what would be an appropriate costume to wear to the party. Taking another look at the ANBU uniform that her teammate wore, she began to realize how practical the idea really was. But she still expected a little more effort from her hardworking comrade.

"I didn't think you would just strap on your ANBU uniform and use that as a costume," Tenten said, placing a hand on her hip with impatience, "Honestly, would it kill you to get into the holiday spirit?"

"It wasn't even our custom to celebrate Halloween until last month," Neji pointed out, "I'm starting to think the Hokage was in one of her drunken rants when she made this an official holiday."

"Are you sure you're not just saying that so that you won't have to go to Ino and Sakura's party?" the cheerful brunette commented with a smirk.

Her suspicions confirmed when Neji sighed at the mere mention of said party. The truth of the matter was that Neji Hyuuga was an antisocial enigma of a man and that he would always remain so despite her efforts to try and change that.

"So are you going to finish getting ready or are you just going to go like that?" Neji inquired, managing to aim the conversation away from himself.

"Why don't you go on ahead," Tenten replied with a shake of her head, snapping out of the trance that she often found herself in, "I'll meet you there."

Without saying a word, the weapon-wielding kunoichi rushed back into her room, her bedroom door closing with a soft click as she left the pale-eyed man to stand in her living room. With a shrug of indifference, Neji left the apartment, making sure to lock the door behind him and headed towards the Haruno household where the party was located.

After about an hour after he arrived, the white-eyed Hyuuga spotted his female teammate walking through the front door and greeting the pink-haired hostess. Abandoning his spot in the corner, Neji slowly approached being careful as to study the costume his hazel-eyed companion wore.

"Hey Neji," Tenten greeted cheerfully, "You having fun?"

"And who or what are you supposed to be?" Neji questioned, completely ignoring her question as his brows furrowed together in curiosity and confusion.

"Mulan," she replied as if it was so obvious.

"But Hinata was dressed as Mulan and she looked nothing like this," Neji said as he recalled seeing the costume his cousin wore when she arrived with Lee.

"That's because she's supposed to be Mulan at the end of the movie," Tenten explained, adjusting her breastplate to a more comfortable position, "I'm Mulan when she's a soldier."

Neji eyed her for a moment, a brow raised cynically as he processed the information presented to him. When he was done, Neji shook his head in amusement.

"And you commented on the simplicity of my costume," the Hyuuga prodigy stated with a smirk.

"At least I put some thought into my costume and convinced everyone else to follow the theme," she stated, fidgeting with her gauntlets.

"I'd love to continue this conversation but I think I'll be heading home now," the ANBU captain said as he headed towards the door.

"But you've only been here for an hour and I just got here," Tenten protested, following after him.

"I have better things to do than to indulge in some half-baked holiday," the white-eyed Hyuuga replied.

"Fine, go," Tenten said in defeat, "But at least take home some candy."

Reaching out towards the tub of candy set up in the foyer, Tenten grabbed a handful of sugar-filled treats and handed them to her teammate. Neji accepted them hesitantly, scrutinizing the brightly colored wrappers before finally stuffing them in his pocket.

"Don't stay out too late," he called over his shoulder, "I still expect you to be at practice tomorrow morning."

"Party pooper," Tenten mumbled as she turned around to rejoin the party.

Glancing around the house, Tenten was pleased to see a good majority of her friends had stuck to the Mulan theme they had all agreed to. Hinata was looking especially nice dawning the Chinese dress Mulan wore at the end of the movie. She smirked at seeing familiar looking necklace hanging around her neck, posing as the medallion the Emperor gave to Mulan as a symbol of the heroic deeds the girl did for her country.

"Looks like our little Hyuuga heir had a little help getting ready from Naruto," Tenten said to herself, "Lee's not going to like that."

As she continued to walk about the house, the samurai-clad kunoichi walked pass the opened doors of the balcony, catching a brief glimpse at a shadowy form sitting alone in the moonlight. Refusing to let anyone seek solitude from such an amazing party, Tenten decided to join the lonely figure. She wasn't all that surprised to find Sasuke sitting quietly on the railing of the small terrace.

"Greetings Captain," Tenten said cheerfully. Then eyeing the ANBU captain's uniform, she added with a chuckle, "I guess you and Neji had the same idea."

"Nothing wrong with being practical," the Uchiha heir commented with a shrug.

"Maybe," the Mulan soldier agreed absentmindedly, leaning her back against the railing as she folded her arms over her chest, "But was it really too much to ask for you to dress up as the leader of the Hun army?"

"Yes," was the raven-haired shinobi's blunt response.

"You're right," Tenten chuckled, turning around so that she could rest her arms on the handrail, "I should've known better."

Silence followed soon after her laughter faded. Both leaf-nin seemed comfortable sitting quietly under the light of the crescent moon as the noise of the party drifted out to them.

Over the years, both had found comfort in each other's presence. Tenten was able to give Sasuke the friendship that he lacked after being shunned by almost the entire village after he left to join Orochimaru and was abruptly brought back by a team lead by Naruto. In return, Sasuke had agreed to train Tenten, the kunoichi having found herself short one sparring partner for most of the week when Neji was assigned to an ANBU squad (Sasuke was allowed to set his own schedule since only a select few were willing to work with him). From their strange arrangement, an unexpected friendship had formed.

_And possibly something more?_ Tenten pondered as she continued to stare at the stars twinkling in the night's sky.

"Did anyone even see you come in?" the kunoichi finally asked, breaking the silence that lingered between them.

"I doubt it," was Sasuke's response.

"So, no one would notice if you left?" she questioned nonchalantly.

"No one but you," the dark-eyed shinobi replied, earning a nod from the older girl next to him.

"Well," Tenten said with an amused sigh, sliding in a small chuckle, "At least you stayed longer than Neji."

"Just couldn't take all the attention could he?" the ANBU captain commented with one of his trademark smirks.

"I could ask you the same thing," Tenten playfully retorted, "After all, I did find you sitting out here all alone."

"That's because I don't see the point of this whole thing," the brooding Uchiha said, casually glancing at his comrade.

"This is a Halloween party," Tenten replied, meeting his gaze with her own, "The point is to celebrate the holiday."

"Christmas is a holiday," Sasuke snorted in response, "This is just some stupid excuse for candy companies to make money off of sugar high little kids dressed up in silly costumes."

"That didn't stop you from dressing up, did it?" the kunoichi knowingly pointed out.

Sasuke opened his mouth as if to say something, but abruptly closed it when he could find no retort. Despite his feelings about the newly adapted holiday of Halloween and his reluctance to make a complete fool of himself by dressing up in a ridiculous costume, the Uchiha heir still made an attempt to join in the celebration.

_But why?_ he inquired, hoping to find the answer.

"Will wonders never cease?" Tenten teased, placing her hands victoriously on her hips, "I actually stumped Sasuke Uchiha."

"In your dreams doughnut head," Sasuke snapped, holding no true malice behind the statement.

_Was it because she asked me to? _the ANBU captain mused.

"But really though, there's nothing wrong with indulging in a little insanity once in a while," the weapon loving girl said in a more serious tone, "It keeps your mind off of the chaos surrounding your life."

"Is there something you're not telling me?" the Sharingan user questioned suspiciously.

There was a slight pause in Tenten's actions, something that didn't go unnoticed by the heir of the Uchiha clan. She let out a soft sigh as she moved to sit beside Sasuke on the handrail. Their shoulders continuously brushed against each other as the kunoichi placed her hands on the railing to support herself.

"It's nothing of real importance," Tenten finally replied, "Don't worry about it."

"You know, if you ever needed to talk to anyone, you can talk to me," the usually cold Uchiha said, a hint of worry escaping in his tone. Uncharacteristically with uncertainty, he added, "Right?"

"Yeah, I know," the older girl replied in a soft whisper, staring into the Uchiha's dark eyes, "Thanks."

Without warning, Tenten leaned in and quickly gave Sasuke a kiss on the cheek in appreciation. But though she had shown such friendly affection towards other comrades, there was something unusual about this one.

"You're sweet," she added, hoping to blow past the awkward moment.

But when she moved to look back at the stars, Sasuke reached out his hand lightly take hold of her chin. A bit startled at the contact, the kunoichi allowed the younger boy's hand to guide her face back towards its owner, lifting her chin up so that their eyes met under the dim light of the moon. Slowly sliding his hand up from where it was on her chin to cup her cheek, the Sharingan user leaned in to lightly brush his lips against hers.

Pulling back, the youngest Uchiha looked at the quiet kunoichi to see her reaction. Her small smile was a good sign, and there was no denying the slight blush that was forming on her cheek as she nervously looked down at her lap. The smile was still there when Tenten looked back up into the eyes of Sasuke, affectionately reaching up and cupping his cheek before pulling him in for another chaste kiss.

Standing at the door of the balcony, hiding behind a huge potted plant, two figures watched with interest at the events that were unfolding out on the balcony. One was dressed as a convincing Yao while the other was barely pulling off his Captain Shang costume.

"It's about time Neji made his move," Naruto whispered to Kiba, rubbing at the itchy purple markings around his eye.

"I didn't know the Hyuuga had it in him," Kiba chuckled, trying hard to avoid having anyone else step on his cape.

"Come on, let's go tell the others," Naruto said excitedly as he rushed off towards the living room, Kiba not too far behind.

Back on the balcony, Tenten had unconsciously rested her head on Sasuke's shoulder as he placed an arm protectively around her small form.

"So where do we go from here?" Tenten asked softly, enjoying the warmth of the young man next to her.

"I think that I should leave now before anyone spots me," Sasuke replied mischievously, "And I think that you should leave five minutes later and meet me at the park."

"Sounds like a plan," the kunoichi agreed, pulling away from the young Uchiha.

"See you in a few minutes," Sasuke said with a genuine smile before he leaned down to kiss her one last time.

Without a word being said, the ANBU captain disappeared into the night, leaving the smiling weapon-wielding kunoichi alone on the terrace to muse over what had happened that night. Unconsciously, she began to giggle in amusement at the unexpected turn of events.

"Happy Halloween, Sasuke," she whispered to the winds before she left, telling the hostess that she had an early practice in the morning with Neji.

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**Explanation: **confused? Everyone saw Neji at the party sitting in the corner but no one saw him leave. No one saw Sasuke arrive at the party either. And both Neji and Sasuke were wearing their ANBU uniforms. You get it now? Good!

Oh, and here are the people who participated in the Mulan theme suggested by Tenten (in no particular order): Naruto Uzumaki as Yao; Sasuke Uchiha as (supposedly) Shan Yu; TenTen as Mulan (soldier); Rock Lee as Ling; Shikamaru Nara as The Emperor of China; Chouji Akimichi as Chien Po; Hinata Hyuuga as Mulan (normal girl); Kiba Inuzuka as Captain Shang; and Shino Aburame as Cri-Kee.

**Next Month's Theme:** In the middle of snow-fall...


	2. Snow Beetle

**Theme:** In the middle of snow-fall...

**Pairing:** Shino/Tenten

**Disclaimer:** obviously not mine.

**Note:** winner of November's theme -is proud-

**Snow Beetle**

"I am going to kill Lee for answering that ad in the newspaper," Tenten mumbled to herself as she watched the autumn scenery outside.

A chill wind was blowing outside as Tenten stared out the window of a dimly lit restaurant. She eyed the soft blanket of snow that had fallen the night before, wishing that she could indulge in her child-like urge to go outside and play in it. But Tenten soon pushed away such thoughts when she was reminded why she was there.

She was carefully nursing a glass of wine, making sure not to overdue the drinking before her date arrived. A few tables away sat Hinata and Lee, carefully keeping an eye on her to make sure the guy was a perfect gentleman. With a wave of his hand, Lee made sure his teammate knew that he was still there. Hinata simply blushed at all the attention the taijutsu master in training was creating for them.

"And nothing he or Hinata says can stop me," she added as she waved back to him, resisting the urge to crack the glass in front of her watchful friends.

_I could be training right now_, she mused with dismay, _Or at least sleeping in my nice warm bed_.

Unfortunately, Lee felt that his female teammate wasn't making the most of her youthful adolescence and so took it upon himself to help her in the process of courtship. Just then, a piece of paper flew straight into the taijutsu user's face, seemingly to appear suddenly with the aid of the wind. As it turns out, it was the personal pages of the village newspaper.

Quickly scanning the potential bachelors, Lee found an ad of who he believed was the perfect guy for his teammate, immediately sending a reply in her name. Though Tenten was extremely reluctant when the miniature version of her teacher suggested the idea, with a small plea from the shy Hyuuga heir the older kunoichi quickly gave in.

"How can anyone say 'no' to her?" she mused as she unconsciously fiddled with the white rose pinned in her hair.

The three had spent the majority of the afternoon getting Tenten ready for the dinner date, Lee obsessing over every small detail. Finally for the sake of Tenten's insanity and the well being of dear Lee, Hinata asked the taijutsu master in training to leave all the preparations to her. After his departure, all was well with the world once more.

"I don't believe this," a familiar voice said, pulling her from her thoughts.

Lifting her head at the voice, Tenten was greeted with the familiar image of Shino. Though the details of his attire were lost to her, what got the kunoichi's attention was the rose pin on the collar of his shirt. That was the symbol her date was supposed to be wearing so that she would be able to recognize him.

"Shino?" the kunoichi called in disbelief, "You're my blind date?"

There was a dull thump in the background of the restaurant as Lee fainted, shocked with the information presented before him. Glancing out the corner of her eye, Tenten saw for a brief moment Hinata rushing to the aid of her date, sending an apologetic glance towards the older kunoichi before attending to Lee. Turning her attention back to Shino, Tenten smiled meekly at the bug-loving shinobi.

"Well, this is awkward," Shino commented.

"You're telling me," Tenten agreed with a laugh. Then with a small gesture, she said, "Well, you're already here so you might as well sit down."

With a polite nod, Shino took her advice and sat down across the table from his kunoichi date. Silence ensued as a waiter came to take their order. While they waited for the food to arrive, Tenten glanced cautiously over to the optical-wearing young man only to find him glancing back. Out of nervous habit, both smiled weakly at each other before turning their attention back to more mundane things. Finally, the discomfort was interrupted by a soft chuckle, courtesy of Tenten.

"What's so funny?" Shino asked curiously.

"Nothing," Tenten replied with a shake of her head, "I just never thought you would be the type of person to put out a personal ad."

"Well," Shino said in calm retort, "I never thought you would be the type of person to answer a personal ad."

"Actually, Lee was the one who answered it," the older girl corrected, "Something about my youthful flower withering away to nothing."

"Really?" the bug master mused, a hint of amusement in his voice, "How ironic."

"How so?" the kunoichi inquired with interest.

"Kiba was the one who put the ad in the newspaper," the Aburame heir replied matter-of-factly.

Tenten's brows furrowed in confusion before the truth finally dawned on her. A smile was instantly on her face as she fought back a laugh.

"Looks like our teammates had the same idea," the kunoichi said, a chuckle managing to slip in, "But at least Kiba didn't follow you on your date."

"Think again," Shino corrected, pointing to something behind her.

Curiously, the weapons goddess turned around to where the calm shinobi was pointing to and immediately saw Kiba peeking at them from a nearby table. Seeing that the kunoichi had spotted him, the dog-lover quickly tried to hid behind the menu that he was holding up as a not too reliable cover.

"Oh," Tenten said as she turned back to face her date.

The two sat in silence once again as neither could figure out what else to say or where to go from there. Then Tenten opened her mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by a woman's scream coming from the other side of the room. Like the trained shinobis they were, both Shino and Tenten snapped their heads towards the sound only to be greeted with the sight of a lady falling backwards in her chair as she frantically backed away from her meal.

"What in the world is that monstrosity?" she screamed.

Squinting, Tenten strained to see why the woman was so hysterical about her food. She tried to hide a chuckle when she spotted a small centipede crawl out of the woman's salad onto the table. Turning back to the calm Shino, there was an amusingly suspicious glint in her eyes.

"Maybe I should've left him at home," the bug-loving shinobi said casually.

"Maybe we should just leave," the kunoichi suggested, "A restaurant isn't the best place for your…friends."

Shino nodded in agreement and quickly got up from his seat just as the waiter came by with their food. He watched them despairingly as Shino politely pulled out Tenten's chair for her. Without hesitation, the shades-wearing shinobi whispered something in the waiter's ear, instantly lifting the server's spirits as he dashed off towards a new destination.

"What did you tell him?" Tenten asked curiously as the bug master helped her put on her coat.

"I just sent everything over to Kiba," he replied, hiding his shock as the kunoichi picked up the centipede when she walked by the woman's table, "He'll enjoy it more than us."

"But the food here is a little too expensive for Kiba," Tenten pointed out as they walked out the front doors.

"I know," Shino replied casually, "Call it payback for setting me up against my will."

Shaking her head at the thought, Tenten handed the centipede over to Shino and followed close behind as he stepped out into the cool autumn air. She smiled at the crisp weather, looking forward to the holiday season that was just around the corner. But the smile soon disappeared when she looked over and saw the solemn expression in the insect-lover's face (she learned how to read hidden emotions from being around Neji).

"What's wrong?" she asked curiously.

"I don't like this weather," the shinobi replied, gently stroking the centipede, "It upsets my friends."

"Well," she said cheerfully, an idea suddenly popping into her head, "Follow me!"

Before Shino could ask any questions, the older girl was rushing down the street, stopping only to look back and motion for him to follow her. With a nonchalant shrug, the bug-loving shinobi started walking after the excited kunoichi to whatever destination she had in mind.

"You know, this has to be the most you've said to me since…well, ever," Tenten mused as they continued to walk through the snow.

"Well, it wouldn't be very polite of me to not talk to my date, now would it?" the younger boy pointed out.

"How did Kiba get to you agree to go on this, any ways?" the kunoichi inquired curiously, "I have a hard time believing that you would agree willingly."

"He threatened to start bringing pesticide to practice," was his slightly saddened reply.

"I see," she commented with a nod.

"What about you?" he asked in return, "I didn't think Lee could be so persuasive to get you to agree to this."

"He isn't," she replied with a laugh, "Luckily for him, he had Hinata's help."

"I see," Shino commented, unintentionally repeating her reaction.

"Well," the older kunoichi announced, "We're here!"

Curiosity, Shino looked up from staring at the snow-covered ground to find himself standing at the old Konoha bridge. Surprisingly, it looked almost brand new and completely in tact for being the first and only overpass in Konoha, built when the village was first founded. In true Shino fashion, the insect master raised a brow skeptically and turned to his companion.

"What are we doing here?" he asked curiously.

"You'll see," the kunoichi replied suspiciously just before she grabbed his hand and dragged him across the historical bridge.

A little taken aback at the intimate contact, Shino suddenly felt warm. Thinking that it was because of her hand holding his, the bug master quickly yanked his hand away only to find that he was still warm. Looking around the bridge, he noticed clouds of heated smoke rising up from the water below.

"Why is it so warm here?" he inquired curiously.

"Because there's a small heated geyser under the water," Tenten explained as she leaned over the edge of the bridge to look into the not so frozen river below, "We found it a few years ago when Gai had us rebuild the bridge."

"Really?" he questioned with interest.

"It's not all that warm, but it keeps the water and the bridge at a reasonable temperature throughout the year," the high ranking kunoichi continued on, "I just figured your bugs would enjoy the warmth more than us."

"How…considerate of you," the younger boy said hesitantly, unsure how to react to her polite gesture towards his multi-legged friends.

_No one's ever show this much patience with my bugs_, Shino mused, _Except Lee, but he loves all nature_.

"No problem," the girl said. Then lightly stroking the centipede in Shino's hand, she asked, "So, aside from this handsome fellow, who else did you bring with you?"

Rather than replying to her, Shino put away the centipede and wordlessly pulled out the white rose in Tenten's hair to hold it between them. A small red and black lady bug slowly crawled out from the sleeve of Shino's jacket and contently started munching on the flower petals.

"This is Keiko," Shino said in reply to Tenten's unasked question.

"You name your insects?" the kunoichi inquired curiously.

"Just her," the bug master replied with a nod.

"Why just her and none of the others?" she asked inquisitively.

"Because she's my favorite," Shino replied. Then to elaborate, he added, "She goes everywhere with me."

"Well, she's adorable," Tenten stated softly. Then as an afterthought, she said, "And she can have the rose."

"…She said thank you," the insect-lover said after a pause, obviously taking the time to listen to what the little bug was saying.

"Well, she's very welcome," the kunoichi said happily in response.

"What?" Shino exclaimed in slight alarm, bending down to the rose to hear better, "…I can't tell her that."

"Tell me what?" the weapon wielding girl asked curiously.

The leaf shinobi paused at her question, unwilling to answer her. But the lady bug on the rose in his hand was persistent and strongly insisted that he reply to Tenten's question.

_I could never say no to Keiko_, the shinobi mentally admitted.

"Shino?" Tenten called suspiciously.

"She says…that she thinks you're cute as well," the shinobi finally replied hesitantly, pushing down a blush that was forming.

"Oh," was her response. Then as an afterthought, Tenten said, "…Thank you."

Shino seemed like he was about to say something else, but was interrupted when a single flake of snow fell on the white petals of the rose in his hand. As the kunoichi looked to the sky at the falling snow, the younger shinobi couldn't help but admire the way the white flakes decorated her dark hair. Unexpectedly, Tenten childishly attempted to catch a falling snowflake, smiling with content when her goal was achieved.

"Amazing," Shino mumbled softly to himself, frozen in place by the site.

Oblivious to the shinobi's compliment to her, Tenten turned to her companion only to be greeted by his blank gaze. Realizing that he was staring, Shino carefully tucked the rose inside his jacket as he tried to suppress a slight blush. Seeing the odd expression on the shinobis face and seeing how uncomfortable he seemed, Tenten attempted to ease the moment but was interrupted before she even uttered a word.

"Dynamic entry!" came the all too familiar voice of her teacher.

Knowing the chaos that was coming, Tenten quickly pulled Shino out of the way. Loosing sight of his appointed target, Gai missed the bridge completely and landed into frozen river below. In her mad rush to save her companion from the attack, both had slipped on the ice that had formed on the wooden planks and fell to the ground, the kunoichi landing on top of the unsuspecting bug master. In true Tenten fashion, the kunoichi got up without a flinch and was yelling over the side of the bridge before Shino could even register the slight intimate contact that they had shared.

"Gai, what are you doing here?" Tenten asked in annoyance.

"Tenten, my youthful flower!" her teacher cried cheerfully despite the fact that he was completely soaked in twenty degree weather, "Lee told me of your social engagement so I came to ensure that your delicate bud was not dishonored."

"Oh Kami," Tenten sighed in an exasperated manner, rubbing her forehead in frustration, "I'm going to kill Lee the next time we practice together."

"Not before I do," Shino said flatly.

"Well, I think we better end this before we get any more surprises," Tenten suggested, turning to face her date.

"Ok," the leaf shinobi agreed plainly.

"I actually had a nice time," the kunoichi admitted, "See you around, Shino."

Before the shinobi could say a word in response, Tenten leaned in and gave Shino a light kiss on the cheek. With a wave, she left towards her home, leaving the bug master standing on the bridge in shock. Unconsciously, the shinobi's hand had reached up to touch his still warm cheek, the only sign of the contact

_Maybe girls aren't as troublesome as Shikamaru says_, Shino mused as he started his trek home as well, heading in the opposite direction as the kunoichi.

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**Next Month's Theme:** Of red fireworks and green trees


	3. A Family to Call My Own

**Theme:** Of red fireworks and green trees

**Pairing:** slight Gaara/Tenten

**Disclaimer:** obviously not mine.

**Note:** winner of December's theme but only because it was the only entry -is not so proud but will take it anyways-

**A Family to Call My Own**

"Rising Twin Dragons!" I shouted as the two scrolls uncoiled from their wraps, unleashing a barrage of weapons in their wake.

In his usually passive manner the sand-nin easily stopped the attack, sending a wave of sand to entrap the weapons before they could be pulled back by my chakra strings. Seeing how vulnerable I was without my arsenal, he decided to return the sharpened toys back to their owner, sending the weapon-filled sand barreling towards me at an amazing speed. I barely had time to jump high up into a tree before the wave came crashing down on the trunk, embedding its contents into the hard wood.

"You're going to have to do better than that," Gaara said evenly, a hint of a challenge in his tone.

Seeing all my equipment displayed in the trunk of the tree, I rushed off through the forest in hopes of buying some time to think up another strategy. My weapons were useless against Gaara's sand attacks just as they were against his sister and I had little other options to fend him off. I was desperate and it was time for last resorts. Just when an idea started to form in my head, a tree came crashing down behind me. I curiously looked back in time to dodge a sand spear that was shooting straight towards my head.

"Are you trying to kill me?" I asked to my invisible opponent, "This is only a spar, remember?"

"In a real battle, the enemy would never hesitate in his attack," the sand-nin countered emotionlessly.

As if to emphasize his point, the tree I was standing in suddenly was pulled from its roots, knocking me out as it came crashing to the ground. Managing to land gracefully on the forest floor, I turned to face my opponent with nothing more than a kunai grasped tightly in my hand. Standing there with his arms crossed over his chest and displaying his usual indifferent mask, the sand that surrounded us slowly retracted back into the gourd he carried on his back. All the while he merely stared at me intensely with his jaded, green eyes.

A pillar of sand shot out from underneath me, leaving little time to jump out of the way. By executing a spinning back-somersault, I was able to dodge the assault only to be pursued by the sand-filled limb through the entire area while Gaara just stood there and watched. He was so busy silently gloating at my struggles that the sand-nin had left himself open for an attack. Unfortunately I was too occupied with staying away from the lively appendage to take advantage of that.

Pausing for a moment to catch my breath, I took notice of the tight formation of trees surrounding us. Bolting straight for the nearest one with the sand in hot pursuit, I jumped on the bark of the tree and pushed myself in the opposite direction. The sand was slow to react accordingly and that allowed me enough time to throw the kunai in my hand towards the unsuspecting Gaara. Sadly, I had forgotten about his sand's protective properties and watched with disappointment as the kunai bounced off of a sliver of sand that emerged from the ground, doing well to protect its master.

"This is the weapon master of the Hidden Leaf Village?" he said mockingly, "How pathetic that you couldn't even keep a hold on your own tools."

"If you think I'm so pathetic, why don't you come and get me instead of sending your sand?" I said in retort, irked that he was being so smug about it, "Or are you afraid to face me head on?"

Taking my not so subtle invitation to attack, Gaara self-righteously took a few steps forward towards me with murderous intentions. But to his surprise, the moment he walked into the ring of trees I was sanding in, he found himself caught in my trap. He lifted an invisible brow questioningly as he struggled to get free from the net of strings, getting a bit frustrated when they continued to stick to his pale skin.

"What is this?" he asked flatly.

"A web made out of chakra strings," I explained, cautiously approaching his trapped form, "I knew you would never feel the weak energy of the strings and so would walk right into it."

To emphasize my point I tugged on the strings, resulting in the web tightening around his calm form. There was little his sand shield could do since the threads of chakra were thin enough to slip through the spaces between the sand. There was a grunt in displeasure as one particularly thin thread left a paper thin cut in the shinobi's arm. At seeing this, I loosened up the strings a fraction, not wanting to cause any other unwanted injuries to his person.

"Clever," he admitted evenly, "But I'm afraid that won't be enough."

Sand suddenly started swirling around him as they effectively and mysteriously cleaned off all of the sticky strings of chakra, dispelling my only defense against the demon carrier. Then without warning, a pile of sand in the shape of a hand raised out of the ground and pushed me back into a nearby tree, pinning me down with a force that knocked the wind out of my lungs on impact. I was dazed for a moment, allowing the appendage to get a better hold on me. Though I struggled against the restraints with all my might, I still couldn't manage to free myself.

"I believe that is the end of this match," the sand shinobi stated as he slowly approached, "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Fine, you win," I admitted reluctantly, trying hard not to choke on the sand flying around me, "You mind letting me go now?"

With a simple wave of his hand, the sand disappeared, allowing me to rub the bruise that would undoubtedly form where the sand had hit me. But despite the fact that I had lost, it was a good spar; something that I had lacked since coming for a visit to the Hidden Sand Village to spend with Temari and her brothers.

"All this just because Temari wanted an authentic Christmas tree," I mumbled, eyeing all the green trees that had fallen in the wake of our fight.

"Why she insists on finding an appropriate tree for the holiday every year is a mystery," Gaara commented, "I find it an inconvenient and pointless indulgence."

"And yet you come out here every year to get one for her," I countered with a knowing smirk. After thoroughly shutting him up, I looked around at the carnage we inflicted and said, "There's green trees everywhere, so take your pick."

Nodding at a random tree, the shinobi willed a cloud of sand under it and swiftly carried it towards his village. It wasn't long until we found ourselves out of the forest and treading through the sands of the Wind Country, entering through the gates of Sunagakure. The sun was setting by that time and the temperature in the air had noticeably cooled as the night's festivities were underway.

"I think I'll walk around a bit," I said, unconsciously glancing at through windows of the shops, "Take the tree back to Temari and I'll meet up with you guys tonight for the fireworks."

Gaara nodded in understanding and proceeded to float back to his home in the his cloud of sand, leaving me to stand alone in the middle of the street. The entire village was decked out in the traditional Christmas fashion, reminding me distantly of my own home in Konoha, minus the snow that covered the ground of the Hidden Leaf Village at this time of year. But despite the warm climate I was unaccustomed to, it still held the good cheer of the season.

And there was no beating the Winter Festival held here every year, ending every night in a great display of fireworks since the village didn't have to contend to with mother nature and her cold temperaments. It was something that could never be managed in the snow covered grounds of Konoha and despite my resolves about this time of year, I couldn't help but look forward to them every time I would spend Christmas with the sand siblings. It was one tradition that could contentedly be enjoyed alone, something that I had been forced to deal with at a very young age.

"You would've liked this," I mused somberly to the ghost of a memory that was trapped in my heart.

The smile that had found its way to my face was cheerful and full of good cheer as I watched the villagers mill about, busy with preparations. But it soon disappeared when I was reminded of the family I had lost long ago. Spending Christmas alone was a familiar occasion in my childhood and it was only recently that I had been invited to share the holiday with the sand siblings. Still unfamiliar to having other people around me during this time of year, I often found myself reverting back to the depressive state that had plagued my early years at the Academy.

_I don't have a family to spend Christmas with_, my young voice echoed though my mind, _It's always been like this so don't worry about me_.

Shaking my head of those thoughts, I found myself surrounded by more people than previously thought. Suddenly finding the growing crowd around me suffocating, I leapt up onto the rooftops to escape my quickly growing anxiety. The free air swirling around me as I jumped from roof to roof was refreshing and did well to clear my mind. Finally stopping on the Kazekage office building, I quietly stood and looked down at the people gathered there.

With the winter season well on the way in the other regions of the land, the Village of Hidden Sand was always crowded this time of year with people who wished to get away from the frigid weather of their lands. What better place to get away from the cold than a desert? But with this great surplus of tourists in the area, there was hardly enough room for all of them to safely move about in the village. Not even the holiday spirit could stop the small scuffles that occurred during the Winter Festival as people fought for space in the swarming streets of Sunagakure.

"How troublesome," I muttered to myself, taking a page out of Shikamaru's vocabulary book as I spotted a fight breaking out below me.

Quietly sitting down on the roof of the Kazekage office building I closed my eyes to the hustle and bustle of the world below, concentrating on the calming breeze blowing softly against my face. Content with staying in this state of mind, I lost track of time and soon the sound of music and singing reached my ears. Opening my eyes to reality once again, I found that the stars had already come out for their nightly visits. Looking below, I found that the crowd had grown to an immense size, reminding me of sardines in a can. And Gaara of the Sand stood out like a sore thumb.

I spotted him immediately in the crowd of people gathered in the streets below, his bright red hair standing out against the browns and blondes of the Village. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the young sand-nin as he walked through the streets, the crowd unable to part in his wake because there were just too many people to allow the room. I could see the great restrain he was demonstrating while strolling through the crowd of villagers and tourists, being so adamant about not being touched in any way.

Taking a closer look I noticed that he was alone, Temari and Kankuro nowhere in sight. Then I noticed that his gourd was missing from where it usually remained strapped to his back. Without it, the red-haired shinobi seemed so much smaller and less threatening. But despite his outer appearance, I knew better than to believe that Gaara would be defenseless without it. I had sparred with him enough times to understand how extensive his abilities were. I remembered the beat down I had received on one occasion when I had convinced the young shinobi to battle me without the sand. That was the last time I ever underestimated his abilities.

"Do you know how irritating you are?" came a familiar, monotone voice.

Startled by the broken silence, I whipped my head around in alarm and found myself face to face with the red-headed sand shinobi himself. Sometime during my deep and reminiscent thoughts, the young sand-nin had managed to spot me from the crowd below. So lost in my musings, I remained oblivious to his approaching form, catching me off guard. Still at a loss for words, I studied the scene before me. The moon shining behind him gave the sand-nin a soft blue glow about him, adding to his vulnerable appearance. But the image was broken with the way he stood so casually on the roof with his arms folded over his chest in an annoyed manner, the wind blowing about his sash.

"How did you…?" I finally managed to ask, letting the sentence hang as I gestured to the crowd below.

"I'm far more perceptive than everyone would wish to believe," he replied vaguely to my unfinished question. Then as an afterthough, he added in his own smug way, "And you were distracted."

"I see," I commented, unable to find anything other way to respond. Then seeing that he was alone, I asked, "Where are your brother and sister?"

"They decided to stay home," was the shinobi's simple reply, moving to sit down next to me, "Something about Kankuro repainting his puppets."

"Oh, he finally found those huh?" I chuckled, causing the demon vessel to look at me curiously.

"Do I really want to know?" the sand-nin asked coolly.

"Even if you did, I'm not telling you," I replied nonchalantly.

Not really caring either way if I explained the situation to him or not, Gaara turned to the overcrowded streets below. There was a tiny grimace in his face as he quietly watched the scene before him, unnerved by the growing mob of tourists. It wasn't that he had a bad case of claustrophobia. It was just simply harder to keep control over the demon spirit when he was distracted by all the looks and glares sent his way by the villagers and visitors. For that reason, he made a great effort at avoiding all human contact whenever possible. And it was with that in mind that I couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't just stayed home with his brother and sister, away from the crowds of people.

"Why are you out here?" I asked, voicing my curiosity.

"I had no desire to stay in the house and listen to those two bicker all night about what was done to my brother's puppets," Gaara replied simply, never taking his eyes off of the festivities.

I couldn't help but chuckle at his logic. It was true that when Temari and Kankuro were thoroughly pissed off, no one was safe from the sibling battle that would surely occur. Silently thanking whatever deity had saved me from that fate, I returned my gaze back to the crowd below. Despite their congested surroundings, all the villagers still seemed to be in good cheer, perhaps giving into the spirit of the season.

"They seem so happy down there," I mused aloud to no one in particular, so accustomed to speaking to myself.

"Happiness is overrated," Gaara commented flatly. Then as an afterthought, he added, "I despise this idiotic holiday."

"It's not so bad," I mused, despite the lonely feeling that I was getting at seeing the little children walking about with their parents.

"The idea of having your emotions and behavior dictated by a simple date seems idiotic," he pointed out, "Then to assume that all your problems will simply go away after a few days of merriment."

Gaara had a point of course. And despite my wanting to disagree with his argument, I couldn't help but find myself agreeing with the idea. Under the glitz and glamour of Christmas, there was a dark undertone that no one was willing to openly address. And it was something that I was forced to face every single year during this time.

"Not all of us are able to forget about our problems," I said flatly, quickly dealing with the reality I was trying hard to avoid, "This holiday wasn't made for people like us, Gaara."

"People like us?" he questioned, taking the time to turn to me with slight interest.

"The forgotten orphans of the world," I explained morbidly, "While everyone is out buying presents and spoiling their families, no one ever takes into consideration that people like us don't have the luxury of spending money on useless gifts and trinkets for our non-existent families."

"You make a valid point," he admitted, turning back to the brightly lit streets below.

"All this holiday does is remind us that we're alone in this world," I added somberly with a hint of longing for something I would never have.

"…I'm never alone," Gaara said unexpectedly, his voice carrying with it a hint of what appeared to be confinement.

It was then that I was reminded of the demonic sand priest spirit that was locked inside of him, having been burdened with the task of being its vessel at the moment of birth. Turning towards the brooding sand-nin, I looked up at the marking on his forehead, a symbol of the entrapment that was forced upon him. Seeing me staring, he turned to me as if expecting me to say something. Never one to disappoint, I decided to voice my thoughts.

"Did it hurt?" I asked quietly, reaching out to touch the tattoo, "When they put that on you?"

He flinched away from my touch, quickly reminding me that such actions were never allowed because he was so unaccustomed to physical contact of any kind outside of the battle field. Realizing my mistake, I jerked back my hand and flashed him an apologetic smile before recoiling my arm back to rest quietly in my lap. Reprimanding myself for forgetting, I bowed my head in thought.

"Yes," was his simple reply once Gaara was sure that he was safe from my touch, "But my family never really did care much about my feelings."

"Your siblings tell a different story," I said, recalling all the times both Temari and Kankuro had stayed with the demon carrier, "The fact that they remained by your side through all of this should count for something."

"They only stay out of obligation," he explained, putting his logic over the simple truth, "They are afraid of me and what I could become should they leave."

"How can you be so sure of that?" I asked, a little horrified that he would think that way even after all the years I had been around him.

"How can you be sure that it's not true?" the demon carrier countered.

"…I can't," I admitted after a pause, "But whatever the reason at least they're still here with you."

I pushed down the aching in my heart as I suddenly stood, unable to remain still any longer. There was a tickle in the smallest corner of my eye, indicating the tears that wished to fall at the memory of my lost family. But as all other matters that dealt with death, I faced it the only way I knew how; the way a kunoichi must handle such things. So with a deep breath to calm my nerves, I pushed back the tears and emotions that laid dormant in my shattered heart. All the while, Gaara watched me curiously, possibly intrigued by my last statement.

"Be happy with what you have, Gaara," I continued somberly, "At least you have a family to complain about."

With that said, I turned away from the happy crowd of pedestrians below towards the more empty streets of the village. I could hear the rustle of clothing as the sand-nin stood up from where he sat. His footsteps echoed in the night as he approached me, his face appearing out the corner of my eye as he looked down at the empty streets as well. The expression on his face was unreadable, his mouth forming a hard line of some mysterious emotion known only to him.

"Yes, I have a family, that much is true," he simply said, finally feeling a need to break the silence, "And for that, I am grateful despite their…annoyances."

"Families are meant to be annoying, Gaara," I commented with an empty chuckle, "It's part of their charm."

"You know, they consider you a part of this family as well," he stated in a nonchalant manner.

I was a bit confused at his statement at first and was about to ask him about it when an explosion in the sky interrupted me, signaling the start of the night's fireworks display. Wordlessly, the sand shinobi lifted his gaze to the sky as it erupted with a great show of lights. I stood there watching as the light reflected off his pale face, mesmerized by the peace that was in his eyes as he observed the illuminating images appearing before him.

"And I see no problem with you sharing that same belief," Gaara added as an afterthought.

It was then that I finally comprehended the meaning behind his words. With a nod of understanding, I turned to watch the sky as three rockets exploded in deep red images of light. I smiled as they reminded me of the three sand-nins and quietly enjoyed the rest of the show. The brilliant colors flashed across the heavens, forming amazing images. Glancing over to the usually emotionless Gaara, I couldn't help but smirk at the slight upturn of his mouth, the smallest hinting of a smile as a red burst of light illuminated the sky over the village.

"A family to call my own," I mused quietly, "Imagine that."

---------------------------------------------------

**Next Month's Theme:** The Beginning of the End


	4. Embracing the Pain

**Theme:** The Beginning of the End

**Pairing:** Neji/Tenten

**Disclaimer:** If it were mine, everyone would hate me for this...they probably will anyways.

**Note to Eternal Shadows:** I couldn't find the fanfic you were talking about. If you happen to come across it again, give me the link in a comment or something so that I may deal with it. And thank you so much for telling me, I appreciate it.

**Embracing the Pain**

A small bird sounded in the distant as she stood on the supposedly empty training field. With the peaceful atmosphere surrounding her, Tenten found it humorous that the only thing on her mind were the troubled thoughts of her emotionless teammate. Unceremoniously, the two finally had enough common sense to confess their growing affection towards each other when she was seconds away from having a dangerous operation on her spine. But there were no regrets about their untimely admission. Her only regret was allowing her self to love him as much as she did, to open herself up to an even greater pain than him not returning her adoration.

In the middle of her toxic thoughts, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. There was no need to turn around, she already knew who it was. After years of training together and nights of secret rendezvous, she knew every aspect of his behaviors as well as mannerisms inside and out.

"Well, if it isn't the pride of the Hyuuga clan," Tenten said as she glanced at her usually stoic teammate, seeing his mouth set in a hard line of foreboding.

For a split second she was in a state of panic, not ready to face the white-eyed Hyuuga prodigy. She had yet to sort out her own thoughts on the matter let alone prepared to discuss them with the soon to be heir to the Hyuuga clan. But being the strong-willed person she was, Tenten swallowed her anxiety and turned to face her problem head on.

"Tenten, there's something I need to tell you," Neji said, seeming more concern than he would usually show.

There was a pause as the kunai thrower took this fact into consideration. Taking a quick glance at her teammate, Tenten swiftly assessed the possible reasons behind his uncharacteristic behavior and reached only one conclusion.

"So it's true then?" Tenten asked gravely, turning her back to him once again.

"How did you…?" the prodigy began to say.

"I have my ways," she interrupted, making sure to send a glare his way for even assuming that she shouldn't have known.

She had heard the rumors floating around Konoha about the preparations being made in the Hyuuga clan. With such people as Ino and Sakura talking about nothing else, it was hard not to hear the news. And even though she knew that this day would come, she hadn't expected it to come so soon.

"Stop stalling and just tell me what you have to say," she said sternly, unwilling to wait a moment longer in this agonizing state of unknowing.

But despite the way she felt, Tenten leaned casually against a nearby tree. All the while, the kunoichi kept her back to her soon to be ex-boyfriend as the two of them mutually and silently decided not to train today.

"The engagement will be announced in a month and the date has been set for the wedding," Neji explained with a sigh of what seemed to be defeat, "I am to marry Hinata a week after my eighteenth birthday."

"And if the negotiations between Hidden Leaf and Hidden Mist haven't been resolved and we have a war?" Tenten asked flatly.

"Then we will still have the wedding," Neji replied simply, "Hiashi has made it clear that everything is to go as planned no matter what happens."

"Typical Hyuuga diplomacy," she muttered to herself. Then as an afterthought, she stated, "You're barely even an adult let alone fit to be married."

Instantly she mentally reprimanded herself for such a harsh comment. Her bitterness towards the situation was one thing, but Tenten knew that questioning his abilities in anything was crossing the line. But rather than becoming angry with her for it, Neji sighed his defeat and understanding.

"The family has been preparing for this since Hinata proposed the abolishment of the Main and Branch houses," the Hyuuga prodigy explained calmly, "They want an heir to be produced as soon as possible."

"What do they think you are?" she commented cynically, "A pair of rabbits?"

"In order to eliminate the caste system of Main and Branch members, the two bloodlines must be joined," Neji clarified, hoping to make his teammate understand, "A child would symbolize that agreement."

But he knew that nothing he could or would say could ever make sense of all that was happening. Despite the reality of their lives as shinobis of Konoha, everyone grew up believing in happily ever after including the seemingly cold-hearted Neji. It was that belief that fueled is desire to pursue a relationship with his steel-clad teammate. Now that was being taken away from him and there was nothing he could do about it.

"If that's what it takes, maybe things should remain the way they are now," the steel-clad kunoichi mumbled.

"I doubt you honestly believe that," he said knowingly, "You hate social classification as much as I do."

"Maybe," she whispered somberly with a sigh, "But where does that leave us?"

"…I don't know," the Hyuuga prodigy replied, truly at a loss for words.

"Yes you do," she protested, "You just don't want to admit it."

There was sadness in her eyes as the weight of her words laid heavy on both their heart. Neji Hyuuga was a genius and knew how to get out of any situation that the two of them had faced together. For him to not come up with a solution to this was like putting the final nail the coffin of their relationship.

"So, this is how it ends between us," Tenten said meekly, more as a statement than a question, "Not with a fight, but with a whimper."

Unable to remain another moment in his presence, the kunoichi attempted to leave, only to be stopped by a hand from the Hyuuga prodigy.

"Let go!" she demanded as she struggled to free herself.

"Where are you going?" he asked with concern.

"Anywhere but here," she replied logically, "This matter is closed so let's just leave it at that."

"This matter is not closed," Neji stated, a little spark of hope still remaining in the depths of his heart, "We still have time to change their minds."

"If that were possible we wouldn't be having this conversation," the kunoichi snapped, unintentionally taking on a bitter tone once again, "You know as well as I do that when the Hyuuga Council makes a decision, there's little chance of changing their minds."

She had a point of course, something Neji couldn't deny. The Hyuuga Council was just as stubborn in their mindset as the prodigy himself, a family too prideful to change thousands of years of tradition so easily. It always puzzled him how a clan so mindful of showing respect towards others could so easily and completely disregard the opinions of their two heirs.

_White-eyed hypocrites_, Neji thought with a frown.

"We're only delaying the inevitable so why prolong our suffering any longer than necessary?" Tenten added on a solemn note, "Just end it now before it gets too hard to do so."

"So you're going to give up just like that?" Neji asked in disbelief, "I've never known you to be so submissive to anything."

"You can't give up on something you never fought to keep," Tenten stated, holding with it a bittersweet tone.

"…Is this really what you want?" Neji asked hesitantly, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"What I want doesn't matter in this," Tenten stated calmly with a sigh, despite her urge to throw a barrage of weapons at her teammate.

"…It matters to me," the Hyuuga prodigy said, taking her limp hand into his own in a gesture of comfort.

For a moment, it seemed like the kunoichi would welcome his touch and embrace his comfort when a soft smile appeared on her face. But just as quickly as it had appeared, the smile was gone, replaced by the hardened expression that she would only show on the battlefield. Neji knew that face well. It usually donned the face of his teammate when she was hiding her emotions, something that was necessary when facing an army if enemies during their missions.

"You must follow the will of the Hyuuga Council," she stated somberly, quickly slipping her hand away from his touch, "We both knew this would happen when the relationship started."

"But that was when we assumed the Council would eventually approve of our relationship," he protested.

"Then it looks like we assumed wrong, Neji," she said in response.

Seeing the sadness that was apparent in her eyes, the young man wanted to reach out and pull her into his embrace; comfort her through this. But in doing so, it would only make their parting all the more difficult. So the Byakugan user took the only road that was left to him.

"I'm sorry, Tenten," he said softly, barely audible but the weight of what it meant still present on both their shoulders.

"Don't be," she said with a sarcastic laugh, "Like you always say, it was fated to happen…why fight it?"

"Tenten," he called evenly.

"Have a nice life, Hyuuga," she cut in, leaving before he could utter another word, "I hope the two of you have a long and happy marriage."

Watching her retreating back, Neji couldn't help but reach out to her to try and comfort her through all this. But he knew perfectly well that no amount of words or actions would ever be able to fix this. Because though this was the end of their relationship, it was only the beginning of their pain.

"Hm," he mused sorrowfully, walking back into the cage known as his existence, "So this is what it feels like to have a broken heart."

---------------------------------------------------

**Next Month's Theme:** Chinese Customs


	5. Paper Lantern Night

**Theme:** Chinese Customs

**Pairing:** Sasuke/Tenten

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto there would be a lot more SasuTen going around.

**Paper Lantern Night**

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this," Sasuke mumbled to himself in irritation.

The streets of Konoha were littered with happy, smiling villagers, all gathered to celebrate the coming of the new lunar year. Sasuke took particular note of all the couples roaming the streets, hand in hand and whispering sweet nothing in each other's ears. Of course their behavior had nothing to do with Valentine's Day that was coming up next week.

"I bet those guys don't even remember about Valentine's Day," the Uchiha grumbled to himself as he pushed through the crowd.

He was dressed in a simple robe, dark blue with the emblem of the Uchiha family showing proudly on the back. In his hands was a small package in red wrapping, complete with a pink bow, courtesy of the young Hyuuga heiress. The Uchiha heir casually eyed the tag and the neatly written calligraphic symbols that he had wrote himself, spelling out the name of who was to receive the gift: none other than the weapon-loving kunoichi herself, Tenten.

It was because of her that Sasuke was swimming through the crowd in the first place, clad in his party ware and wondering how he would ever find the older girl in this throng of pedestrians. Ever since their chance meeting on Halloween night and the kiss the two had exchanged on the balcony of the Haruno home, their relationship had been slow but comforting.

"Sasuke-kun!" a familiar voice called from across the street.

Glancing out the corner of his eye, the young Uchiha spotted his pink-haired teammate as she tried to reach him through the crowd. Not in the mood to exchange fake pleasantries with her, Sasuke quickly moved forward through the crowd in hopes of losing her in the process. He finally stopped when the sound of Sakura's voice calling out to him was lost in the quiet calm of the evening.

No one knew of the relationship that existed between him and Tenten, the entire village believing that she was being courted by the Hyuuga prodigy because of a misunderstanding made by both Naruto and Kiba. The truth of the matter was that the Hyuuga prodigy was already arranged to marry someone else, already approved by the clan's counselors.

But despite this, the Byakugan user did nothing to defer the rumors milling about the village, saying that he owed the kunoichi and was repaying her by allowing the two of them a little privacy by perpetuating the lie. But while the deception insured that no one else would court the older kunoichi, that left Sasuke free to be pursued by all the girls in the village, something the young Uchiha felt was a great annoyance.

"I wonder if they'll believe me if I just tell them I'm gay," Sasuke mused cynically, imagining their shocked faces and laughing at the image.

Just then, someone pushed by him in the crowd, snapping the young shinobi out of is dazed thoughts. His head snapped up to find that he was standing at one of Konoha's newest bridges, which brought him back to the reality of the night. The two had agreed to meet here and celebrate the new year together, which was the reasoning behind the Uchiha's slightly formal attire. But in true Tenten fashion, she had neglected to state what time the meeting was to take place. So, thinking that he was late, Sasuke scanned the occupants of the bridge and found no traces of the older girl.

Frustrated, the young Uchiha walked across the overpass in hopes of getting a better view only to have the same results as before. He had walked the length of the bridge several times before he was sure that Tenten wasn't there. With a frown, he started for home and would have spent the rest of the night brooding over his loss when something caught his eye. Turning to the side, he was greeting with the sight of a girl in a dark blue kimono, accented beautify by the soft white swirl design. In her hand she held a white umbrella, shading herself from the light of the paper lantern she was standing under and obscuring her face. Gracefully, she lifted the edge of the umbrella just enough to show the all too familiar smirk that Sasuke had grown to adore as she eyed him mischievously.

"So, you were here the whole time?" he asked, smirking in return.

"I wanted to see if you would recognize me out of my training clothes," she explained simply, closing the umbrella in one smooth movement, "You failed."

"You can't expect a guy to recognize a girl when she changes everything he knows about her," the Uchiha playfully protested, "That's just setting him up for failure."

"My point exactly," she responded smugly.

Rolling his eyes in mock annoyance, the raven-haired shinobi couldn't help but chuckle at the playful kunoichi; his playful kunoichi. Wasting no time Tenten pulled the younger boy into her embrace, enjoying the warmth that he provided her from the touch. Everything was so blissful as she pressed her face softly into his chest, feeling the hard work that he had put into becoming a strong shinobi, until she suddenly felt the taller boy tense.

"Is there something wrong?" Tenten asked, pulling away enough so that she could look at his face.

Unbeknownst to the older kunoichi, Sasuke had just remembered about the small package that Hinata had wrapped for him earlier, still in his hand hidden behind his back. Unaccustomed to the proper mannerisms of giving and receiving of gifts, the Uchiha's actions became anxious and jerky as he presented Tenten.

"Here," he said abruptly, hiding the slight blush in his face.

"What's this?" she asked curiously.

"Um…Happy Birthday, Tenten," Sasuke muttered, saying the first response that popped into his head.

"I hate to break this to you, but my birthday isn't until next month," Tenten said, an apologetic smile gracing her soft features.

"Then Happy Chinese New Year," Sasuke mumbled quickly as he shoved the small package into the kunoichi's hands, "Just take it."

"What is it?" Tenten asked again, tilting her head to the side in curiosity.

Unconsciously, she began shaking the package in hopes of hearing jingles that would clue her in to the contents inside. When no sound came she pouted in disappointment, making her appear all the more endearing to the young Uchiha heir despite the nervousness that was forming in the pit of his stomach.

"If you would just open it, you'll find out," he unintentionally snapped, his emotions ruled by his anxiety.

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Tenten commented, placing a slender hand on her hips in annoyance.

"…I'm sorry," Sasuke said apologetically, sighing out his frustration.

"It's alright," the kunoichi said softly with understanding, "You're new at this."

And on that note, Tenten began to carefully open the package. Setting the ribbon aside and tossing the wrapping paper into a nearby trashcan, she placed the box onto the handrail of the bridge and proceeded to lift the lid. Inside, sitting so delicately on a small red pillow was an amazing sight.

"A silver hair ornament shaped like a sai," she said in awe, lifting the ornament out to get a better look.

"You like it?" Sasuke asked, smug with pride at seeing her astonished face, "I saw it on my last mission in the Earth Country and it reminded me of you."

The kunoichi was too shocked to speak, so entranced with the object before her. tracing a finger along the details of the hair ornament, Tenten was surprised to find that it was an actual working weapon, miniaturized for convenience. This would be a good tool on her next undercover mission. With a spark of skepticism, the older kunoichi turned to the grinning Uchiha.

"This wouldn't happen to be an early Valentine's Day present, would it?" the kunoichi asked suspiciously, hiding a smirk of her own.

"…Maybe," Sasuke replied with a smirk of his own.

"A little overzealous, aren't we?" the kunoichi teased.

"Are you going to make fun of me all night?" the young Uchiha asked, a slight pout apparent on his lips.

Tenten chuckled at seeing the playful side of the usually passive boy. It was times like that where he freely showed her his vulnerable sides that the kunoichi cherished most when they were together.

"Maybe," she playfully taunted.

"Why do I like you again?" Sasuke asked in mock curiosity.

"Um…because I'm the only who would talk to you after you came back from betraying the entire village," the kunoichi replied matter-of-factly.

"Right," he simply stated with a satisfied smirk.

Eager to see how her new gift would look and function, Tenten took out the hair ornament and gently fixed it into her loose tresses. Once done with her adjustments, she turned to Sasuke as if seeking his approval. The raven-haired shinobi nodded his head in praise, finding that the tiny object suited her well.

"You know it's customary to kiss the cheeks of the person you're giving a gift to," Tenten informed the young Uchiha.

"Excuse me?" the raven-haired shinobi questioned, raising a brow skeptically.

"Come on, it's New Year's," the brunette gently urged, "Would it kill you to follow one tradition?"

"Fine," Sasuke finally agreed with a sigh, unable to resist the kunoichi's pleas.

Satisfied with how quickly the Uchiha had submitted to her will, Tenten hid the grin that threatened to show on her face. Without another word, the younger shinobi leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Despite his reluctance, there was a smile on his face as well. Unfortunately it didn't remain there for long.

"Wait," Sasuke said, a confused frown taking the place of the smile, "I don't remember any Chinese custom that had to do with kissing."

"There aren't any," Tenten said as she started to walk away, turning around to send the shinobi a mischievous look, "I never said that it was a Chinese custom."

"…You little…" the Uchiha said in a threatening tone.

With a laugh, the kunoichi ran off in an attempt to get away from the "fuming" Sasuke who seemed to enjoy chasing the girl down the streets of Konoha. Neither teen cared that everyone was staring at them strangely or whispering the beginnings of rumors to a nearby ear. All that mattered to the two of them was enjoying the time they had together.

-x-

The next day, there was a picture in the village newspaper of the young Uchiha heir and a mysterious girl. Her face was blurred and hidden behind the shoulder of the dark Sasuke as the two looked to be in the middle of a cheerful conversation, evident by the smirk on the young man's face.

"So who do you think she is?" Lee asked, looking at the picture over Neji's shoulder.

"It's none of our concern," Neji replied, quickly folding up the paper and tossing it aside on the training field.

"Well, whoever she is, I'm glad Sasuke was finally able to resort the burning flames of his youth," the green-clad taijutsu user said, flashing one of his patented smiles, "Of course it could never compare to the flames burning between you and Tenten."

"Yeah," the Hyuuga prodigy said dismissively, "Whatever."

"Where is she, anyways?" Lee asked with a hint of concern, "She's never usually late for practice."

"Oh…she said that she wasn't coming today," Neji said quickly, "She was out late last night at the New Year's Festival and…"

"It's so good to hear that the two of you had such a good time together last night," the taijutsu user interrupted, "Shame she didn't have the flames of youth that you obviously possess to get up this morning."

"…Sure," the Hyuuga hesitantly agreed, finding a valid excuse being provided for him, "Real shame."

"I am inspired!" the energetic boy shouted, "I shall not be defeated by the Uchiha in love and will woo the lovely Hinata with renewed vigor!"

With that the taijutsu user dashed off on a mission to shower the Hyuuga heiress with his adoration. All the while Neji simply watched his teammate disappear into the horizon, a knowing smirk gracing his flawless face. Long after Lee was out of sight, the Hyuuga prodigy finally turned to walk back to the clan estate. Along the way, he picked up the discarded newspaper and looked at the picture of Sasuke with his date once again.

"Happy New Years, Tenten," he said as he folded up the paper and slipped it under his arm.

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**Next Month's Theme:** Unlike a river, but similar to a marsh


	6. A Teacher’s Memoirs

**Theme:** Unlike a river, but similar to a marsh

**Pairing:** implied Shino/Tenten, implied Kakashi/Gai, overall Team Gai goodness

**Disclaimer:** Team Gai and all those affiliated is the sole property of their creator(s).

**Note:** winner of March's theme -is very proud-

**A Teacher's Memoirs**

_The Hyuuga prodigy executed a perfect Kaiten, deflecting the fuuma shuriken that the equally matched Uchiha heir had thrown at him. There was a sharp clang as the metal star made contact with the chakra field. Rather than be disappointed by the failed attack, Sasuke charged forward in hopes of catching Neji off guard. But with his Byakugan activated, the older shinobi was ready for him. Both boys glanced to the side of the field and smirked at each other with understanding. Neither boys were going to pull any punches during this spar, for fear of appearing weak in front of their audience._

_Sitting off in the sidelines were Tenten and Sakura, each watching closely for the outcome of the mock battle. Each silently cheered for their teammates for fear of distracting them with their yells. Their pink attire stood out against the brown and green of the field as the sun beamed on their eager faces. There was nothing than a good battle. Standing excitedly behind the pink kunoichis were Lee and Naruto, appearing ready to burst with anticipation as each boasted how their team was the best in the village. _

"_My greatest rival will surely win this battle," Lee shouted, "The Flames of Youth burns brightly in him today."_

"_There's no way Sasuke's going to stand losing to a Hyuuga," the blonde protested, "Neji's going down."_

"_Boys," Tenten mumbled under hear breath, shaking her head at the thought, "Always so competitive."_

"_GO SASUKE!" Sakura shouted in contrast to Tenten's composure, "KICK THAT HYUUGA'S BUTT!"_

_At this, the older kunoichi looked at her companion with an exasperated expression. Taking a brief moment to rub her temple, she chuckled to herself and gave a shrug before joining in on the enthusiastic cheering. _

"_Come on, Neji!" she shouted, cupping her hands over her mouth to amplify the sound, "If you lose, you're training with Lee for the rest of the month," _

_Noticeably, the Hyuuga's movements immediately became faster and more determined after her challenge. Though Lee seemed a bit hurt at being used as punishment for losing, a wink and a smile sent his way by his weapon-loving teammate assured the taijustu user that she meant no offense against him. _

-x-

A knock on the door, stole the taijutsu master's attention away from his work. He ignored the slight interruption in hopes of his visitor would simply leave. Another knock dispelled him of that idea, forcing him to pause from his writing to answer the door. Having a bit of the old ninja spirit still in him, the taijutsu master felt for the kunai tucked up his sleeve to ensure it was there should he have a need to use it for any reason. Thankfully, the precaution was unnecessary as he opened the door to a familiar face.

"Tenten, my still budding flower of youth," Gai exclaimed at seeing his former student, "What brings you here at this time of night."

"I saw the light on and just wanted to let you know that we all came back safely from the mission," the kunoichi replied, "I know how you still worry about the three of us, even after all these years."

"How considerate of you," the tall man said thoughtfully, touched by her gesture, "Thank you for that."

"It's the least I can do for my former teacher," Tenten stated, "We all owe you so much for what you taught us."

At that, both were suddenly presented with reminiscent thoughts of the past. Though Lee, Neji and Tenten had managed to remain on the same team when they were promoted through the ranks of shinobis, they had long ago left the care of their teacher and mentor. It was a hard day for them all when Team Gai had to disband because the Hyuuga prodigy had been promoted to Jounin level.

"How are Neji and Lee?" Gai asked a little too eagerly, feeling a little out of touch with his former students.

"Um…they're fine," the young kunoichi replied, shaking her head clear of those distant memories, "Neji's trying out for ANBU in a month and Lee's seems to be doing well with his Genin team."

"That's wonderful to hear," the elder man exclaimed, "I was afraid your flames of youth had diminished in my absence."

"No, you taught us better than that," the young lady chuckled, "A few years away from you isn't going to erase all the lessons you instilled in us."

A warm feeling filled the Jounin's heart at that declaration, a clear validation of his hard work and dedication to the young ninjas of the village. He smiled proudly at the thought, encouraged by Tenten's own smile of recognition.

"Well, I better get home," Tenten announced softly, "Shino and the twins are probably waiting for me."

"You have a wonderful evening with your family," the taijutsu master said with an enthusiastic wave.

"Every night I'm able to come home to my boys is a wonderful evening," she stated reflectively and with conviction,

"As it should be," he responded.

"Good night to you," she called softly as she turned to leave.

Waving her own goodbye, the young kunoichi began her walk home to the Aburame heir and their two children. Gai stood at his door watching her as she disappeared into the horizon, a smile plastered on his cheerful face. Once she had disappeared in to the darkness, the older man promptly closed the door to the night and returned to his work. Sitting back down at his desk, Gai picked up the pen he had been working with all night, noting how little ink was left. With a shrug of indifference, he continued on with the task at hand.

"Now where was I?" he asked absentmindedly to no one in particular, scanning the last lines on the sheet of paper.

-x-

_Noticeably, the Hyuuga's movements immediately became faster and more determined after her challenge. Though Lee seemed a bit hurt at being used as punishment for losing, a wink and a smile sent his way by his weapon-loving teammate assured the taijustu user that she meant no offense against him. _

-x-

"Oh, yes," he mumbled to himself, "Now I remember."

But try as he might to finish the train of thought he had started before the slight interruption, the taijutsu master found he was unable to. The words were clear in his mind, but after the visit from the young Tenten, his thoughts were clouded with another idea. Rather than be discouraged by the setback of writer's block and wandering thoughts, the taijutsu master decided to take the opportunity to try a different approach at describing his former team. Quietly setting aside his current manuscript, Gai pulled out another piece of paper and began to scribble his not so random thoughts.

-x-

_She was a flower among weeds, rare and beautiful in her making. She wasn't held back by the implications of her gender, and if she was, the kunoichi had shown no signs of it. She was all the more driven by the stereotypes applied to her sex, working hard to push past her limitations to prove everyone wrong. She was Tenten, Konoha's orphaned weapon-goddess. _

_She had chosen to spar against the strong Hyuuga heir every day even though all their battles ended the same way, with her sprawled on the ground with a few more cuts and bruises while Neji remained intact. But despite the outcomes of their matches, she always held on to a positive perspective, always asking for another spar when they were rested. She stood as his pillar of strength and complete trust, a rare gift given no one else._

_But the hard edge of her personality and determination melted away when it came to Lee. She always held a motherly presence with him, knowing that my young student didn't have a family of his own to turn to in times of distress. She voluntarily stepped into the role of mother and sister for him as well as took on the task of being mediator whenever my two boys would argue beyond the brotherly taunts and challenges they were so prone to have. _

_She was a spirit that disappeared into the background of their greatness. But without her they would not be the men they have become today. She quieted the secret fears that the Hyuuga held, dispelled the hopeless moments so rarely seen in Lee's nature. She gave up her own light of potential to let them shine, never knowing that we had always seen her radiance. And even in her darkest moments, she always shone the brightest._

_To put it simply, she was necessary for our team to function as it did. The fact that everyone else considered her weaker than both Lee and Neji wasn't an issue. None of us believed that. The three of us knew the secret to her presence, that she was the glue that held us together. Lee was fast moving and unpredictable, depicting the raging rapids of a river as well as the calm peacefulness of the river bank. Neji, in contrast, was so calm and serene, emulating the forest life that he had always surrounded himself with. But it was Tenten that held the two together, becoming the ever faithful marsh and merging the divide between the river and the forest. Without her there was no balance; without her there was no team._

-x-

Smiling to himself, Gai leaned back in his chair to admire the short piece he had written, mentally making a note to add more depth into it later as well as to find an appropriate place to put it in his memoirs. A cough behind him drew the taijutsu master's attention away from his desk to the bed. Sprawled lazily under the covers was the Copy Ninja himself, his nose in the recent issue of Icha Icha Paradise. He still wore a mask over his mouth, only willing to remove it in the most intimate of moments between the two. With a thoughtful smile, the Green Beast of Konoha rested his chin on the back of his chair and quietly watched Kakashi for a moment.

"You're going to go blind reading that in this dim light," Gai stated half-heartedly after a moment of reflection.

"Huh?" Kakashi questioned, lifting his head up from the book he was reading, "Did you say something?"

"Oh my god, that was pretty good, rival Kakashi," the taijutsu master exclaimed playfully, "That reaction is somewhat 'modern' and it still pissed me off."

"Just shut up and come to bed," was the silver-haired shinobi's indifferent response, pulling back the covers as an invitation.

With a jovial smile, Gai joined Kakashi under the covers as they drifted off to a peaceful slumber.

---------------------------------------------------

**Next Month's Theme:** Fooled you!


	7. What We Do For Love

**Theme:** Fooled you!

**Pairing:** Neji/Tenten, Naruto/Hinata, Neji/Hinata, Naruto/Tenten (confused? I thought so)

**Disclaimer:** The creator of Naruto couldn't be this twisted.

**What We Do For Love**

**- Naruto -**

It was a genius plan and the only one I could think of within the given time frame. I was surprised at how quickly the proposal formed in my head. Then again, when the girl you love is being forced to marry someone else, your brain kicks into high gear to try and stop that from happening.

"This might work," Tenten said in agreement, the tear stains on her face still evident that my plan would be her salvation.

As the heir to the entire Hyuuga clan, Hinata had used her power and standing to finally convince the council to abolish both houses. While they wholly agreed with her suggestion, such a feat could not be done without performing the proper rituals. In this situation, one member of each line must join in union to produce an heir, the baby standing as a symbol of the joining houses. And so both Neji and Hinata were presented with an unwanted arrangement.

"No one would ever believe it," Neji protested, once again proving to all of us how pessimistic he could really be.

"What other choice do we have?" I pointed out, "You love Tenten, don't you?"

"There is no question to that," the Hyuuga Branch member snapped defensively.

"Then this is our only option since the Hyuuga clan doesn't appear to be giving up on this idea of marriage between you and Hinata," I said, determined to make this work, "At least this way everyone wins."

"He's right Neji," Hinata agreed softly, a bit uneasy about lying to the entire village, "Father and the council have left us little choice in this matter."

The three of us nodded at her statement, watching the soon to be former Branch member for his reaction. True to his stoic personality, there was no emotion in his face or behavior as he stood there mulling over the idea. I knew when I was proposing the plan that he would be the hardest to convince, being so bent on following traditions. But in this case, he had something more precious to him than family customs. His love for Tenten was far too great to be pushed aside and the hate he held for his family was to severe to give in to their will so easily.

"This is insane," the Hyuuga prodigy finally said, briefly discouraging us all.

But as insane as it was, Neji still eventually agreed to it. And so our plan was set in motion almost immediately. It would be a year before Hinata and Neji would make an announce about their engagement, their clan needed time to prepare for the grand banquet that would be held in their honor. That would give Tenten and I plenty of time to develop a believable relationship. The plan called for the two of us to announce our own engagement about the same time as the Hyuuga cousins.

"Alright, here's what we do," I said as we all huddled together, "We'll wait a few days before we try anything so that the Hyuugas won't get suspicious."

The three listened attentively as I explained in full detail what we would have to do. I paid specific attention explaining to them what was to be done should certain problems arise, making sure that I had a backup strategy for every hindrance that I could think of that would spoil our arrangement. Every detail was taken care of. The plan was full-proof…at least I hoped that it was.

**- Hinata -**

The public breakups were the hardest part of the entire plan. In order to make everything believable, all existing ties between us had to appear to be severed. The appearance of witnesses were necessary so there could be no doubt. The argument that occurred between Neji and Tenten in front of the Hyuuga mansion was especially violent, making me believe that it was more than acting that fueled that scene. Then again, the scene that Naruto and I presented wasn't any less explosive, but I doubt the two of them had practiced for hours the night before.

And so, no one seemed overly surprised when Tenten and Naruto announced their engagement, only days after Neji and I had made a proclamation about ours. After all, the two of them had a year to convince the village of their growing infatuation with each other. Though neither me nor Neji liked the thought of the two of them openly showing affection towards each other, no matter how false those gestures were, we both knew that it was necessary for the plan to work and so swallowed our jealousy.

In turn, it was our job to appear as happy and in love as they were. The village had to be forced to look past the relationship that existed before in order to accept the seemingly wonderful relationships that appeared before them now. In a gesture of respect and reconciliation, I proposed the idea of holding a double wedding for the four of us, having no objections from my father or anyone on the council. They all knew the importance of having a strong trust between teammates and wished to sweep aside any bad feelings that might have remained between Neji and Tenten. There was no hesitation when the weapon-loving kunoichi and the future Hokage happily agreed.

Now it was the night before our two weddings and I was confined within the walls of the Hyuuga compound with Naruto sleeping only a few rooms down. Neji had graciously took Tenten's offer to stay at her house for the night keeping to the tradition of the twenty four hour separation before the wedding.

A light rapping on my door, pulled me from my thoughts of our deception. Quietly getting out of bed, I went to open the door only to find Naruto sanding there in nothing but his boxers. A light blush found its way to my face as the blonde Hokage in training entered my room and closed the door without a word.

"Naruto, I don't think you should be here," I finally managed to say.

"Relax, I checked and everyone's asleep," the blonde shinobi said in a calm manner, "Besides, I have to do something to make up for not being able to be with you on your wedding night."

"What about Neji and Tenten?" I asked, unsure why I was worried about any objections they would have against this.

"They're probably doing the same thing," Naruto replied thoughtfully, "After all, the first time needs to be for love, not necessity."

I made to protest, but stopped when the full impact of his words hit me. He was right of course. The clan would be watching our bedchambers tomorrow night, expecting me and Neji to start working on conceiving an heir immediately. Such an intimate connection as that should be about something more than fulfilling a duty. As much as I cared for my cousin, I knew that I would hate him for the rest of my life because of that, and Naruto knew that as well.

"Please," the demon carrier pleaded softly and lovingly, "Let me give this to you."

"…Alright," I finally said in agreement, "Let tonight be about love."

**- Tenten -**

I lean in to kiss his cheek, as a loving wife should. But we both knew that was a false gesture of affection, at least the kind of affection that should exist in a marriage. But this was no true union, the entire marriage was false, the both of us only agreeing to the union to fool the rest of the village of our deceit. Not a day went by where we didn't look back on our decision. But there was no regret in our minds, knowing that the decision was made for the benefit of all parties concerned.

"I'll go get the scrolls," Neji said, getting up from his seat.

"I'll go with you," Hinata offered politely, playing the role of the dutiful wife as if she were made for it.

"No, one of us has to stay with our guests," the Hyuuga prodigy pointed out, "I'm sure Tenten wouldn't mind helping me, right?"

"No, of course not," I said with as innocent a smile that I could muster.

With a nod of respect to the other guests present as well as the kind Hyuuga hostess, I got up to follow my white-eyed teammate. Unable to ignore the suspicious look in my blonde husband's eyes and the glare of warning to the both of us, I quickened my pace in hopes of escaping his silent wrath.

The halls of the Hyuuga mansion was littered with clan members, milling about in their mundane lives as the two of us headed towards the private wing of the house that was given to Hinata and Neji as a wedding present. Separated by two grand doors, I turned the corner into the sacred area reserved for the two cousins and was instantly but gently slammed against the nearby wall as the double doors shut with a resounding clang. Finding myself mere inches away from Neji's face, I could only smirk with mischief as he leaned in for a hungry kiss.

"Neji," I whispered softly, partially in warning and partially in yearning.

His lips were rough and demanding as they caressed every inch of my skin they could reach with an unyielding passion that I had never witnessed before. Consciously reveling in the intimate contact, I allowed my hands to roam his sculpted body, feeling the results of the hours of training he had put into becoming the best shinobi in the entire village. And just when I thought that he would take me there on the floor of the hallway, a soft cough echoed in interruption, soon followed by another click of the doors shutting. Instantly stopping in our movements, our heads snapped to the door only to be greeted by a blushing Hinata and an annoyed Naruto.

"You mind taking your hands off my wife?" the blond Hokage in training said, lifting a brow in annoyance.

"Sure," Neji replied in the same manner, "I will as soon as you take your hands off of mine."

"What the hell are you two thinking?" Naruto reprimanded, "We're in the Hyuuga mansion for goodness sakes!"

"Relax, this area is off limits to everyone else unless they're invited," the Hyuuga prodigy replied in a cool manner, "Besides, I had my Byukagen activated."

"You still took a big risk doing that here," the blonde shinobi said.

"In case you didn't get the memo, we're all taking a big risk keeping up with plan of yours," my teammate and secret lover said in retort.

"Calm down guys," I said in an attempt to keep the peace between the boys, "We didn't come here to argue about this again."

"Why did you girls call us here?" Naruto inquired, quickly forgetting the argument.

"Because we have a problem," I replied hesitantly, unsure as to how to approach the subject.

"Well, out with it then," Neji said in impatience, "What's wrong?"

"Well, you see," Hinata started as she nervously fidgeted with her fingers, "It seems that Tenten and I, well…we're pregnant."

**- Neji -**

"This is a problem," I said, stating the obvious.

It was a pure miracle that both Tenten and Hinata had gotten pregnant at the same time. It was an even bigger impossibility when they went into labor and gave birth at the same time. But as all good things go, our luck had ran out the moment those two babies came into the world. I was in awe as I stared at the blue-eyed child Hinata had given birth to, obviously sired by the blonde Hokage in training. And as if fate just couldn't screw with us enough, my dear Tenten had given birth to a white-eyed Hyuuga heir.

"Gee, you think?" Naruto stated sarcastically, holding the child that undoubtedly was mine, "No wonder everyone calls you a genius."

Ignoring his last comment, I turned back to the baby in Hinata's arms. Thankfully the babies hadn't opened their eyes yet when Sakura had handed them off to their seemingly respective fathers.

"So what do we do now?" Tenten asked, motioning her arms in a gesture saying that she wanted to hold her baby.

"What other choice do we have?" Naruto stated as he handed the baby over to its mother, "We have to switch the babies."

It was a good idea and the only logical thing we could do. The distinguishing features of each child would soon bring attention to the underlying truth behind our two marriages. And then all the preparation and planning as well as time that we had invested in this arrangement would be blown to pieces. The last thing we needed now was a scandal to unearth itself.

But despite how sound and reasonable Naruto's idea was, I couldn't ignore the solemn expressions on the new mother's faces. They knew the truth behind the blonde Hokage's words. But it still didn't make the thought of giving up their children to be raised by someone else any easier.

"Naruto's right," Hinata said unexpectedly, stroking her blue-eyed child lovingly, "We have to switch the babies."

"Are you sure about this?" I asked, knowing how hard it was for her and Tenten to agree to such an idea, "Giving up your own child is no easy task."

"I agree, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," Naruto said, beginning to have doubts about his initial idea, "We can figure something else out."

The room fell silent as the two mothers watched their respective sons in quiet reflection. I could see the mental struggle that was going on in Tenten's mind, so much like what was happening within Hinata's thoughts.

"The boys will be in the care of their fathers, and I don't know about Hinata but that's good enough for me," the older kunoichi said, "These are the sacrifices we must make in life."

"I agree with Tenten," the Hyuuga heiress said confidently, "I know I will take good care of her son, just as she will take good care of mine."

Without a word, Hinata slowly got out of bed, protesting when either Naruto or I tried to help her as she made her way over to Tenten. With one last look at their sweet children, both women exchange their babies for the other's, silently willing away any tears that threatened to fall down their face.

"Is this what we are reduced to?" I said quietly when Hinata was back in her hospital bed with my son, "Is this the price of happiness?"

"This is the price that was set before us by your family, Neji," Tenten said, unable to hold back her bitterness, "To the world they seem flawless, but the four of us know the truth: that they're all fools parading as nobles."

"Then I guess it's fitting that their heirs are born on this day," Naruto said as he glanced at the calendar on the wall.

Following his gaze, I looked up at the date that was posted on the white, sterile wall. It was then that we all finally took noticed to what day it was: April 1st.

---------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** I want to make this into a chaptered fic so bad. Maybe after I finish all my other ones. -crosses fingers-

**Next Month's Theme:** My hand on yours


	8. Phoenix

**Theme:** My hand in yours

**Pairing:** SasuTen hintings

**Disclaimer:** -sighs- It's not mine. -pouts-

**Phoenix**

"What do you want?" he said coldly upon seeing me at his front door.

I had swore to myself that I would never step foot onto another clan compound ever again after my first and last visit to the Hyuuga mansion. The noble clan had treated me as nothing more than a servant, only showing me the mildest form of respect because I was Neji's teammate. But here I was, on another clan compound willing to subject myself to more stares of disgust and scoffs at my low social status. But there would be none of that here. After all, there was only one surviving member of the Uchiha clan left, and I needed him.

"I wanted to ask for your help," I replied bluntly, knowing that Sasuke would respond better if I went straight to the point.

He wasn't intrigued by any means. It was more like he was amused at the fact that I was coming to him for help, no matter what form that aid would come in. Leaning against the door post with his arms crossed over his chest, the last remaining Uchiha in Konoha waited patiently for me to continue to explain myself as if he were actually taking my request into consideration.

"I want to train with you," I simply explained, knowing that anything more elaborate would just be wasting both our times.

"What happened to your training with the Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked, lifting a well defined brow in inquiry.

"I can't learn anything else from him," I responded vaguely, feeling my patience growing thinner by the minute, "Now are you going to help me or not?"

He stood there and stared at me in a passive manner, scrutinizing every inch of my being. Finally he leaned off of the door post and opened the door wider to let me in. He closed the door with a soft click and started to walk deeper into the Uchiha compound, not even bothering to wait for me to follow.

"Come with me," he said evenly over his shoulder, "We'll see if you're worthy."

Taking a moment to glance at my dark surroundings, I moved to follow after the raven-haired shinobi towards the back of the house. Off to the side in the spacious back yard was a small temple and training compound where Sasuke proceeded to enter. I followed up to the grand doors and stopped for a moment, hesitant to enter such a sacred place without an invitation.

"Are you going to just stand there all night or are we going to do this?" came the Uchiha's harsh and impatient tone.

Taking that as an invitation, I quietly stepped through the threshold and waited for my eyes to adjust to the dark shadows. When I could finally see the dark Uchiha in the dim lighting, took a glance around and found the walls decorated from the floor to the ceiling with weapons of every type and style imaginable. Averting my attention back to my potential teacher, I noticed a simple katana in his hands, the metal blade shining under the moonlight.

"Shall we begin?" Sasuke asked, my only warning to his sudden attack.

"What?" was all I managed to get out before I was forced to dodge his assault.

Reaching out and grabbing the nearest weapon available to me, I managed to stop the blade of the katana from slicing my head in two. The sais in my hand trembled under the force he was putting into the katana.

"Hm, quick reaction time," the Uchiha noted, drawing back to prepare for another assault, "At least you learned something from training with Neji."

And with that said, he charged at me again. The sound of metal clashing was usually a soothing sound for me. But this time was different fore I had something to prove. Not only were my credentials on the line, but also the chance to advance my skill. After training for so many years against the strong Hyuuga clan prodigy known as Neji, I found myself unchanged and unsatisfied with my progress. Neji would start his ANBU training with his squad soon and would have little time to deal with me. And so I was forced to seek other means of improving myself.

"You're too distracted," the dark-haired shinobi said to me, easily dodging my mediocre attacks, "Stop second-guessing yourself and just do it."

_He's right_, I agreed silently, _Focus Tenten!_

Tossing the sais away, I quickly snatched a long dagger for the weapons displayed along the walls. All the while, the dark-haired shinobi never paused, nearly catching me defenseless as I reached for the weapon. Finding the long knife easier to maneuver and parry with, the fight started to seem less one sided than before as I pushed my specialty for weapons to its limit.

"What is it that you want?" he asked in the middle of our spar.

"To become stronger," I replied without hesitation.

"And what does that mean?" the Uchiha asked, never failing to block any of my blows, "What does it mean for you to be stronger?"

The question took me off guard, not knowing the answer myself. With my attention divided, Sasuke took the opportunity to yank the dagger out of my grasp, leaving me weaponless and defenseless once again. But before he could finish, I executed a flying summersault over his head, grabbing a well placed kunai knife along the way. The moment I landed on the ground, I tightened my grip on the kunai and charged forward towards my opponent.

Seeing my predictable move, the powerful leaf-nin easily evaded the sharp edge of my weapon. In one swift motion, he grabbed the hand holding the kunai and flipped me onto my back. As I stared up at my instructor in disbelief, he merely looked down at me, shaking his head with pity.

"I'm not done," I demanded, "I won't give up that easily."

"Then by all means pick up a weapon and attack me," Sasuke commented with a smirk as he immediately moved into his fighting stance once again, "I need a good workout anyways."

He gestured for me to take up any of the other weapons that surrounded us and waited patiently for me to choose. Picking out a sturdy looking katana for my own uses, I faced the Uchiha heir and took a similar defensive stance. This time taking the time to go through the proper sparring protocols, we nodded our heads to each other out of respect before charging towards each other. It was the hardest battle I had ever fought, but much to my dismay each strike that I made against him was easily blocked.

"If you ever expect to beat Neji in combat, you need to take another approach," Sasuke explained, blocking a blow to the head, "The Bloodline of his clan specializes on close combat and you're weapon throwing isn't going to cut it."

"This has nothing to do with Neji," I said through clenched teeth as I scrapped the edge of my weapon against his, causing sparks to light the room.

I missed an opening and instantly cursed myself for losing my focus again. Slowly he pushed me back towards the wall, hoping to limit my movement by doing so. Becoming desperate, when he made another sweep at my legs I flipped back to avoid any injury. Landing on the wall, I quickly pushed myself off at a high speed towards my opponent. It was a risky maneuver because I couldn't control it, but it was quick and unexpected…or so I thought.

"Now, you're just being reckless," he gloated.

Unfortunately, Sasuke was anticipating it and merely side-stepped the attempt, elbowing me in the back to stop my momentum. The wind was knocked out of me when I landed on the ground and I was barely able to roll out of the way as Sasuke brought his katana down on me. I managed to bring my blade up to block as he swung at me again. But I wasn't in a good position to do much else. With one final thrust of his sword I was weaponless and had the tip of his katana pressed firmly against my neck.

"You made your point," I said sharply, hiding the dismay of my failure, "I lost."

"Everyone loses," Sasuke stated evenly, "It's your job to take that and improve yourself."

Wordlessly, he lowered his katana and reached out his hand to take mine. I looked at it curiously while he patiently waited for me to take it. Finally after a moment of hesitation, I placed my hand in his and allowed him to pull me to my feet. I moved to take my hand away when his grip tightened slightly, chilled from handling the cold steel of the katana. Curious at the young man's strange actions, I looked up at his face in confusion.

"You have potential," the Uchiha heir said simply, "You could be the greatest kunoichi the world has ever known, if you wanted to be."

Though his statement was said in such a gentle tone that was so out of character for him, I knew there was more that he wanted to say. Sasuke Uchiha was not one known to be calm and considerate, especially when it came to one's skills as a ninja. Both his former teammates could attest to that. Realizing where the sentence was going, turned my head away to look at the ground.

"But you're training for the wrong reasons," he continued with an unexpected point, "And that is what's stopping you from advancing your skill."

"What do you mean?" I asked, pretending to be oblivious to his observations.

"You can never expect to improve with someone else's expectations," the raven-haired outcast clarified, "Only you can improve your strengths and weaknesses."

"…So, I'm guessing that's a 'no' on training me," I stated, my head hanging as my dreams were crushed.

I heard him sigh in frustration, followed by the metal buzz of him sheathing the katana before I felt his slender fingers against my skin. Taking hold of my chin, Sasuke moved me to face him and his watchful eyes, alight with the red glow of the Sharingan. They were so mesmerizing and intense that I couldn't manage to look away even after he released my chin. My hand burned from the heat of his as the intensity of his spirit transferred into me. Then just as quickly, the moment was gone, his hand releasing mine and leaving it feeling cold as ice as it fell to my side.

"I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning," Sasuke said to me as he walked away, "We'll start on keeping that temper of yours in check."

I was still standing in awe of what had occurred between us only moments before. But quickly pushing aside the many questions filling my head, I looked to his retreating back in realization of what he actually said. Sasuke Uchiha had agreed to train with me.

"After that, we'll get to the real work," he added over his shoulder.

Thought I couldn't conceal the excitement that had risen within me, I was soon reminded of my easy defeat, the ashes of our battle littering the temple floor. It was disgraceful and I looked away in shame. Sasuke was right in saying that I was fighting for the wrong reasons. But the first step to relieving that flaw was already done, having helped me realize my one biggest flaw in mere hours. There was no telling what would happen after months of training.

For years I had worked at destroying my own potential, engulfed in my own flames of defeat. But like the phoenix I will rise out of the ashes again to claim the majesty and respect that is rightfully mine.

_I'll prove that I'm worthy, Sasuke_, I vowed with conviction, _First to myself, and then to all of you._

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**Next Month's Theme:** Teamwork pays off


	9. In Us We Trust

**Theme:** Teamwork pays off

**Pairing:** just some SasuTen trust

**Disclaimer:** If it were mine, these guys would be a team more often. -winky-

**Note: **Winner of June's theme but only because it was the only entry. Aww.

**In Us We Trust**

From the position of the moon, it appeared to be about an hour before midnight. The wind was blowing in my face as I peered out over the top of the bushes I was hiding in. Dressed in traditional black ninja garb, I blended perfectly with the shadows in the surrounding area. Not too far away was the enemy base that we were sent to infiltrate. Pulling down the cloth covering my mouth, I pulled out the communicator that was given to each member of my team.

"Team Leader, this is Bull's Eye, do you copy?" I said into the mini-microphone attacked to my earpiece.

"Bull's Eye, this is Team Leader, you're coming in loud and clear," Shikamaru said in reply, his voice coming through the earpiece crystal clear.

"Do we really have to use code names?" Sasuke asked, his annoyed form crutching behind the bushes next to me.

"Yes, Knuckles, we do," the Chuunin stated bluntly.

"How's it going, Stalker?" I called through the communicators, ignoring the other two members of my team.

"I haven't been able to find anything, Bull's Eye," Kiba replied, a soft yelp of agreement from Akamaru being heard in the background, "This jungle's tougher to get through than my sister's meatloaf."

That statement generated a chuckle from most of us, Sasuke only snorting in response as he kept his eyes out for enemy soldiers.

"Wait, I think I found it," Kiba said, interrupting the snickers, "Big metal doors, tempered glass, and guards surrounding the building like it was Naruto and his last package of instant Ramen."

"Sounds like the place," Sasuke commented, turning to me for a brief moment as he said it.

"So, what's the plan, guys?" I asked, keeping my eyes open for a possible surprise attack.

"Knuckles, Bull's Eye, state your positions," Shikamaru asked directly.

"Ten degrees west of the compound," Sasuke replied, checking the distance with the night vision goggles we were issued, "The main guard area is in sight."

"Engage," was the usually lazy Nara's command, "Distract them while Stalker and I go in and get what we need."

"Good luck and have fun guys," Kiba added, amusement in his voice, "We're counting on you."

"Over and out," Sasuke said as the communicators went silent on the other end.

"Well…shall we dance?" I asked while I turned to face my partner, cocking a brow with my own amusement.

The brooding Uchiha heir merely smirked in my general direction, knowing that I needed no answer. Without a word, we both replaced the cloth mask over our mouths and leaped out of the shadows. With a intentional war cry, we charged towards the guard post. It didn't take long for the majority of the guards to get over the initial shock of our outburst and ready their weapons in preparation for a battle. Wasting little time, we quickly went to work mowing through the experienced soldiers.

Lifting my arm, I took aim with my senbon gun and took down the first flank of soldiers. Surprised by the original method of attack, the rest of the army was distracted enough to allow Sasuke to get in close enough to blaze a trail towards the gates of the compound. Pulling out the sais strapped to my lower back, I deflected the barrage of kunais sent my way while still managing to stay close to Sasuke. Throwing the sai in a spinning motion, I took out the guard who was managing the kunai launcher located at the top of the metal fence.

Realizing that move had caused me to fall behind, I tried to catch up to the overzealous Uchiha only to find my way blocked by a wall of soldiers. Realizing the disadvantage I was in, I cursed myself for relinquishing the other sai so carelessly. But rather than dwell on it, I quickly pulled out a spare kunai to act as the partner to the remaining sai in my possession.

Executing a roundhouse kick to the nearest soldier, I went into action, lashing out at anyone who came within range of my reach. A shuriken flew past, slicing at my wrist which caused me to drop the spare kunai. After landing a side kick to my current opponent, I quickly spun around and threw the remaining sai at the shuriken wielder just as he was going to send another wave of metal stars. Seeing me weaponless for the moment, the enemy ninjas took advantage of the situation and advanced towards me in great numbers.

Quickly reaching back to pull out the two hooked swords strapped to my back, I slashed at the neck of the foe in front of me and flung him at his companions in an attempt to lessen their numbers. Hooking the blade of the sword in the chest of another challenger, I tossed him overhead towards more oncoming soldiers, taking the sword with him because it was snagged on the ribcage. A few seconds later, a blast was heard in that direction when the exploding tags that I slapped on at the last moment finally activated.

A glint of steel out the corner of my eye told me that someone was charging full force towards me, too quickly for me to stop him. Raising up the arm caring my last remaining weapon, I managed to catch the katana a few inches away from my head, the blade catching on the curved hook of my sword. Pressing the weapon down on me, the tip of the katana slowly inched closer to my head as I struggled to keep it at bay. Finally out of frustration at my resistance, my opponent jerked the hook out of my grasp, leaving me weaponless and at his mercy as he charged towards me once again.

"Crap," I murmured to myself.

Suddenly, the guy was engulfed in flames and charging down the battlefield in a frantic state, a clear path opening up to him as his agonizing screams echoed through the field. Dodging a fuuma shuriken that was spinning through the air over my head, I looked around and spotted Sasuke using his Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu over and over again on other enemy soldiers, seeming to enjoy dealing with his adversaries in this manner. Allowing myself to chuckle a little at his antics, I took a moment to reload my senbon gun before reaching back and grabbing a handful of shurikens to fire at the men fighting against Sasuke, clearing the way for the both of us to the gate.

"Come on, stop playing around," Sasuke shouted as he was nearing the unprotected front gates.

But these men were veterans in the art of combat and so had soldiers laying in wait for him. The only warning the Uchiha had of the attack was a shadowy blur before he was doubling over from a shot to the guts. Taking the guard's momentarily distraction as he silently gloated over his victory over the Uchiha heir, I leaped over Sasuke's bent form and took out the soldier with one swift kick to the face. Pausing to check on my teammate, the enemy was allowed to regroup and we soon found ourselves surrounded by a massive army of soldiers.

"Bull's Eye, Knuckles," Shikamaru called through the communicators, "Status report!"

"We're a little busy right now," I called back as I tried to concentrate on the enemy.

Taking a look at my surroundings to assess the situation, I quickly took a mental inventory of what equipment I had left. Feeling the lightness of my kunai holster and shuriken pouch, I knew that my reserves were depleted. I cursed myself for being so careless with my weapons as I reached to grab the last cartridge of senbons, the only line of defense that I had in my possession.

"How're you holding up there?" Sasuke whispered to me as the enemy continued to surround us, a newly acquired katana now in his possession.

"I only have one cartridge of senbons left and I'm out of weapons," I replied as we stood back to back to stare at the circle of soldiers that had formed around us.

"I packed your scrolls in my kunai holster," my raven-haired companion said, "Can you reach them?"

"Not without tipping them off to what I'm doing," I replied, unfazed by the fact that he even had my scrolls as I scanned the area for any possible escape route, "I'll need some cover."

"I'll cover you," Sasuke said unexpectedly.

I could only manage to glance his way in alarm before I was forced to divert my attention back to the ring men who were waiting for a good time to take action against us.

"But who's going to cover you?" I asked logically, "If you're protecting me, you'll be left open."

"Don't worry about that, just trust me," the Sharingan user said without hesitation, "We need to stall for as long as we can and we can't do that if you're weaponless."

I was at a lost for words. Here was the sole survivor of the Uchiha massacre who once thought only of himself. It wasn't too long ago that his only goal in life was to gain power so that he could get revenge for what happened to his family. Now he was taking a risk for me in order to complete the mission.

"Alright," I finally said, "I'll trust you."

Standing back to back, we each took deep breaths and concentrated on each other's actions. It was the only way to time our movements and so enable us both to come out of this alive. Wordlessly and soundlessly, I ducked low and reached over to Sasuke's knee where his holster containing my scrolls was located. At the same time, the Uchiha swung the katana in his hand in a low arch over my form to deflect the kunais that were sent my way. With a scroll in each hand, I fired another round of senbons at the nearest flank of enemy soldiers to allow some time for me to set up my assault.

"Get down!" I shouted to Sasuke over my shoulder, at the same time slamming the two scrolls into the ground.

After defeating his current opponent, the Uchiha did as he was told and crutched down low to the ground to escape the onslaught of what was to come. Launching my Soushoryu attack effortlessly, the field was soon littered with weapons and unconscious bodies.

"Nice job," Sasuke commented as we surveyed the damage.

"Thanks," I said proudly in response.

"Guys, we got the antiquity," Shikamaru called over the communicators, "Get out of there, now!"

"Team assessment!" one of the judges called out before any of us could say a word or make a move in response.

Startled by the sudden interruption, my head snapped up to the seemingly darkened sky, eager to hear the status report of our "mission".

"Time, three minutes and thirty three seconds from point of engagement to the retrieval of item; all soldiers down: ninety-seven percent hit points achieved; object obtained: mission accomplished," another judge called out, "Konoha advances to the next round!"

With his resounding words ringing through the field, the genjutsu disappeared to reveal the open area and the stands of people who were watching our every move. Out the corner of my eye, I could see the ninja teams from the other villages that had failed to complete their missions. With a scowl the majority of them glared daggers in our direction in hopes of eliminating us in that way.

Glancing up at the stands, I quickly spotted the other Konoha shinobis as they smiled at our victory. Not too far away looking down proudly on us was the Hokage herself, Tsunade. Exchanging a respectable nod with her, I made to rejoin my teammates. A cheer of excitement filled the stadium as all four of us reunited at the center of the arena.

"Good job guys," Shikamaru said with a hint of pride in his voice, taking the time to shake each of our hands in congratulations.

"Maybe Tsunade was right to team us up together in this tournament," Kiba commented, gloatingly waving to his adoring fans in the crowd.

"Well, what better way to represent Hidden Leaf than to the take a member from each high ranking team in the village?" I asked rhetorically, "Course it helped that we had the qualities needed for each individual events coming up."

"Maybe," Sasuke agreed half-heartedly, "Who would've guessed we would work so well together, though?"

"I guess teamwork does pay off," I said cheerfully as we each started going our separate ways out of the arena, "Good luck on the individual rounds, guys."

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**Senbon Gun**: Imagine an actual gun with automatic cartridges. Now imagine those cartridges of bullets replaced with bullets filled with a dozen or so senbon needles instead (half an inch to an inch long for convenience). You know how the bullets of a musket shoot out? Just picture that happening with senbon needles every time Tenten pulls the trigger (which implies that the barrel of the weapon needs to be slightly funneled instead of straight). Awesome, no? If only that were an actual weapon. That'd be kick azz! Senbon gun (c) me!

**Next Month's Theme:** Seven times ten make...


	10. Tutoring

**Theme:** Seven times ten make...

**Pairing:** ShinoTen fluff

**Disclaimer:** Prequel to November's submission. That one wasn't mine so why would this one be?

**Tutoring**

"Eighty five?" the younger boy asked rather than stated.

A cool breeze was blowing as Tenten sat at the picnic table in the park. She was staring in awe at her temporary math student. Ever since she had started going to the Ninja Academy, Tenten had found that she greatly excelled in math. She had studied for hours beforehand in order to be able to make the proper calculations for her weapon throwing in an instant; an important skill to have in the heat of battle.

When her mathematical talents were discovered a few years later, Iruka had took it upon himself to urge the young kunoichi in-training to tutor other students, using the idea of being paid for such a seemingly mundane task to spark her interest.

Currently, she was in the process of aiding the one and only Aburame heir, Shino. Unfortunately, the task was proving more difficult than she had initially realized. Though the young boy was said to be smart and one of the top students in his class, his mathematical skills proved to be the shinobi in-training's seemingly one and only weakness.

"The answer to the equation is eighty-five?" Tenten questioned.

"You tell me," the young Shino said, unintentionally using a biting tone, "You're my tutor."

"And apparently I'm not doing my job," Tenten commented absentmindedly as she looked over the young Aburame's recent test papers, "You suck at multiplication."

The young boy shot her a look that pierced through the sun glasses he wore, as if to tell her "DUH!". She managed to ignore it, having been used to such stares from other students she had tutored before (which included one Hyuuga prodigy and one Uchiha heir). Instead, the young kunoichi in-training concentrated on the next course of action to take to alleviate this problem.

"What's seven times ten?" Tenten asked out of the blue, just to be certain.

"…Sixty-nine?" Shino said questioningly.

"…No," Tenten replied, rubbing her head in restrained frustration.

_This is going to be one long math session_, she thought to herself.

Glancing over to the side, she spotted a small ladybug. Instantly, and idea formed in the young kunoichi's head, knowing that the Aburame family specialized in attacks using insects. Carefully, the girl gathered the small black and red insect in her hand and moved to present it to her younger pupil.

"Let's try another approach," she said in a more patient tone.

But she had turned towards Shino to find that he had disappeared. Curious as to where he could be, the brunette took a quick glance at the surrounding area only to find no sign of him anywhere. Just then something brushed against her leg, pulling the kunoichi in-training's attention under the table. To her utter surprise, she peered under the wooden picnic table to find a pair of sunglasses staring up at her, belonging to none other than the young Aburame boy himself.

"Shino, what are you doing under there?" Tenten asked curiously, raising a brow with inquiry.

"Um," Shino replied with slight hesitation, "No reason."

"Then how about you get out from under there so we can continue this math lesson?" the brunette suggested calmly.

With a nod, Shino wordlessly crawled out from under the table and quietly sat back down across from his young tutor. Satisfied with his obedience, Tenten opened her hand to reveal the tiny ladybug in her hand. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, she noticed that her student had shifted slightly to the left. Eyeing him suspiciously, the kunoichi in-training leaned her hand closer to the boy only to have him slide away once again.

"Shino, are you ok?" Tenten asked in a soothing voice, seeing how utterly uncharacteristic the boy was being.

"Um…no," Shino said calmly, despite the apprehension he was showing.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of one little ladybug," the girl said in disbelief, casually glancing down at the innocent insect in her hand.

"So what if I am?" the boy asked rhetorically.

"But your family specializes in using bugs in battle," she stated in response, confusion evident in her tone.

"That doesn't mean that I have to like them," Shino pointed out.

Tenten couldn't help but see the logic to his statement. Just because your family believed one thing didn't mean that you yourself couldn't believe another. But with a family such as the Aburames who had dealings with insects for generations, Tenten still couldn't understand the young boy's fears for the multi-legged creatures who were so much smaller than him.

"Alright, we won't involve actual bugs in this lesson," the kunoichi in-training said, hoping that would interest the shades wearing boy.

"That's fine with me," he said shortly.

With a polite nod, Tenten put the ladybug back where she had found it before continuing on with the math session. Pulling out a random test paper, she scanned the contents until her eyes rested on a word problem. Seeing that he had less difficulties with these kinds of problems, the older girl decided to try using word problems to help Shino with his multiplication.

"Ok, let's use something you would be interested in," she started off, "Let's say that I threw seven kunais at you."

"Why would you do that?" Shino inquired.

"That's not important," Tenten replied quickly, still managing to keep hold of what little patience she had left, "I know you're smart but stop over thinking things."

"…Sorry," he young Aburame said flatly.

"Anyways, for each kunai I throw, you'll need ten…ladybugs to stop them," she continued without hesitation, "What is the least number of ladybugs you would need to send out to protect yourself from my attack?"

There was a pause as Shino considered the information for a moment. Reaching out for a piece of paper, the young Aburame scribbled down the problem and attempted to solve the equation. After reaching an answer, he quietly slid the piece of paper over towards his tutor. Glancing down at the number written on the sheet of paper, Tenten couldn't help but lift a brow.

"The answer is a hundred and seven?" she questioned.

"I take it, that's not the right answer," Shino assumed.

"Well, that would be enough to stop all the kunais," the kunoichi in-training replied simply, "But that's not the least amount you would have to send."

"…The bugs threw me off," he said unexpectedly.

The older girl couldn't help but laugh at his excuse, finding it and off to a point that it was amusing. It was then while she was glancing at the passive boy that she noticed one slight addition to his attire. Knowing that the young Aburame heir would react badly to this, she decided to approach the situation in a more delicate manner.

"Sure, blame those who can't defend themselves," Tenten chuckled in response. Then as an afterthought, she asked, "What did they ever do to you, anyways?"

"I had a bad experience when I was a baby," Shino replied evenly, glancing off to the side in a shy manner that made him appear, for lack of a better word, cute in Tenten's eyes.

"Do I really want to know?" Tenten asked, lifting a brow with inquiry.

"Even if you did, I'm not telling you," the young student responded flatly, his hard outer shell returning.

"Fair enough," the kunoichi in-training said casually, dreading her next words, "But you should know that there's a ladybug on your cheek."

"What?" was his simple reaction, a great contrast to his actions.

Without warning, the young boy jumped from his seat in an attempt to shake free the offending insect that was crawling about his body. Suppressing a laugh at the mere sight in front of her, Tenten released a small wave of chakra strings towards the frantic boy. Once he was tied down and calmed, the young girl casually walked up to him and began her casual search for the innocent insect.

"Honestly, a shinobi like you shouldn't get so worked up over one tiny ladybug," she said in a motherly tone as she searched for said insect.

Unbeknownst to her, the Aburame heir was trying his best to hide the blush that was forming on his young cheeks, unaccustomed to having anyone be so close to him. It became slightly more noticeable as the kunoichi in-training wordlessly unbuttoned his oversized jacket and proceeded to search around his neck and back for the missing ladybug.

"Did you find it yet?" Shino asked as calmly as he could.

"No, I don't…oh here it is!" the brunette replied excitedly, "It was behind your ear the whole time."

The Aburame heir could feel the soft glide of Tenten's finger over the rim of his ear as she scooped up the tiny bug, stirring up a tingly feeling in the pit of his stomach. Chalking it up to his apprehension towards the close contact with the bug itself, Shino was able to ride himself of the embarrassing blush before the older girl turned to face him.

"All this excitement over one small ladybug," she mused, holding said insect in front of his eyes, "And in all your worry, nothing bad happened, did it?"

"No," Shino admitted after taking a moment to come to a revelation, "I guess not."

"So," she asked, easily masking her mischievous intentions, "Do you want to try and hold it?"

A small cough from the Aburame boy was all that she got as a response. Rather than get discouraged by his lack of communication, Tenten went to logic to act as her guide. After all, a person like Shino would respect logic more than any trick she could come up with.

"Oh come on, it's already spent ten minutes on your ear," the kunoichi in-training pointed out, "What could go wrong?"

The young Aburame stared down at the ladybug crawling around the brunette's hand as he considered this. It was true during all the searching Tenten had done, the little insect had innocently perched itself on his ear and caused him no harm. So logic dictated that a few more seconds in his hand would be of little consequences.

"Well?" Tenten asked eagerly as he turned to her.

A nod was all Tenten needed and she quickly took hold of Shino's hand in her own to keep it steady. A bit startled at the girl's invasion of personal space, the young boy resisted the urge to jerk his hand away, finding the warmth of her hand somewhat pleasant. The blush that had disappeared before came back once again at the thought. Oblivious to all of this, Tenten tilted her hand so that the ladybug crawled on to her pupil's waiting palm.

"This isn't so bad," said boy mused after a while as he watched the ladybug explore the span of his hand.

The older girl tried hard to suppress a smile as she took note that Shino didn't seem so frighten of bugs as he was before. Seeing a particularly lush leaf on the ground, Tenten picked it up and placed it in Shino's hand, thinking that the tiny insect would enjoy something to snack on. Excitedly (yes, bugs can get excited) the red and black insect start munching away at its meal, bringing an amused smirk to the Aburame's lips.

"I think it likes you," Tenten commented, smirking at how mesmerized the young boy seemed with his tiny new friend.

"I think you're right," the younger boy said in agreement.

Suddenly, a beeping sound was heard that quickly stopped when Tenten pushed a button on her wrist watch. Without uttering a word, the older gathered up her things, adding to them all Shino's test papers so that she could determine if the younger boy needed to work on other aspects of arithmetic.

"Well, my hour is up," Tenten said in explanation, "I'll see you next week, Shino."

When she didn't hear a word in response, the kunoichi in-training looked at her pupil to find him still entranced with the tiny insect in his palm. Chuckling to herself, Tenten left the younger boy with his new friend, knowing that she had saved the Aburame clan years of therapy bills. She didn't see Shino glance up at her retreating back, nor the small smile he had in his face.

"Seven times ten equals seventy," he said to himself. Then returning his gaze to the black and red bug in his hand, Shino said thoughtfully, "I think I'll name you…Keiko."

Faintly, he heard the little ladybug whisper something. The Aburame heir tried to listened intently to what she had to say, but found her small voice a little hard to hear (yes insects have voices).

"What was that?" the young Aburame asked, leaning down so that he could hear better as Keiko repeated what she said, "Well, it's not like me pretending to be bad at math is hurting anyone."

She softly chirped something in retort, taking the young boy off guard when he leaned in again to listen. Abruptly, Shino's head snapped back up and looked down at the little ladybug with a slight blush on his cheeks. Clearing his throat in a calming manner, the young boy attempted to keep his passive attitude.

"Yeah, I think she's cute too," Shino casually agreed, pushing up his sunglasses to sit on the bridge of his nose, "But I'm not going to tell her that."

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**Note: **The bad experience that Shino had when he was a baby was with a kakai bug that drained the poor darling of his barely developed chakra. Since then, the young Aburame believed that all bugs could and would do the same to him. It's a good thing Tenten dispelled that belief for him, isn't it? And yes, Keiko has to be really old if she's still alive by the time Shino and Tenten have their little blind date in "Snow Beetle". But wasn't it sneaky of Shino to pretend to be so bad at math just so he could spent time with his lovely tutor, Tenten?

**Next Month's Theme:** Shifting seasons


	11. Like Grains of Sand

**Theme:** Shifting seasons

**Pairing:** GaaTen stuff

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Like Grains of Sand**

"Arrogant prick," Tenten mumbled under her breath as she stormed out of the door, "I can't believe I even considered going out with him."

He was temperamental and unyielding to the needs of others, not unlike the hot and humid summers of his home. Just now he had chosen to spend the rest of his day attending to his life-sized dolls instead of with her, the girl he had supposedly been seeing for the past few months. All that seemed a forgotten memory to the kunoichi from Hidden Leaf as she stood under the sweltering sun of the Hidden Sand Village.

"What did he do now?" came a bored question.

Startled by the sudden interruption to her fuming thoughts, Tenten turned towards the sound of the voice and spotted the youngest sand sibling casually leaning against the house, hiding from the unforgiving sun under the shadow of the building. Glad to have a possibly willing ear to vent to, she focused her attention towards the usually anti-social young man, a bit surprised that he would wish to start a conversation with anyone let alone her.

"He's your brother, Gaara," the leaf kunoichi stated flatly, placing her hands on her hips in annoyance, "You figure it out."

"I see," the red-head commented evenly with understanding, "Spending too much time with his craft, again."

"Yeah," she confirmed, joining him under the cool shadow of the house.

Unconsciously, the kunoichi crossed her arms over her chest and leaned her back against the side of the house, taking on the same stance as the younger shinobi beside her. Through the years when she had learned to become friends with the eldest of the three siblings, Tenten had found herself developing an odd relationship with the future Kazekage. Each held an unexpected understanding with the other, feeding off the loneliness that both shared. It was in that way that Tenten slowly became one of the only people Gaara could actually tolerate being around for long periods of time, aside from his brother and sister. In that same aspect, Gaara became one of the few people in Tenten's life that she could trust with her darker thoughts and emotions.

"Is it really too much to ask that he spend a little more time with me?" the older kunoichi asked absentmindedly, expecting no answer from the other shinobi.

"When dealing with a citizen from Suna, yes," the demon carrier stated bluntly, "That much should have been clear to you."

Gaara glanced at his companion out the corner of his eye just in time to see a ghost of a pout grace her lips at his statement, making her appear more endearing in his eyes. His naked brows furrowed instantly at the thought, reminding him of those dreaded human emotions that would pop up every now and then when he was in her presence. There was no denying that after all these years, he felt a slight allure to the leaf-kunoichi. But out of some strange feeling of respect, the younger sand-nin had ignored such emotions for the sake of his older brother. But Tenten was making it perfectly clear that she no longer wished to pursue that empty relationship any further. Perhaps now…

"Very rarely are we quick to change in our ways," he added, shaking away such thoughts once again.

"How troublesome," the leaf-nin mumbled with dismay.

"Could you not say that?" Gaara unintentionally snapped, "I hear it enough from Temari, I don't need to start hearing it from you as well."

"Sorry," Tenten apologized sincerely.

She kicked around the sand underneath her feet, a nervous habit she had developed recently in the presence of her current confidant. There was always something about being in his company that unsettled Tenten, though, she had to admit, not in a bad way. It was more of the strange comfort and familiarity of his spirit through their shared past that unnerved her. The kind of understanding she received from him was unlike any other that she had experienced with her other friends.

"So, does anything in Hidden Sand ever change?" the kunoichi asked in hopes of forgetting her current train of thought.

"…The weather," Gaara replied flatly.

"Will wonders never cease," Tenten called out in amazement, chuckling as she glanced over to her companion, "You actually have a sense of humor."

Tenten saw a ghost of a smile grace the lips of the future Kazekage as he tried to suppress his mirth, merely scoffing at her sarcasm as he stared off at the heated mist of the horizon. And it was in that brief moment that she saw the innocence that Gaara still held despite the dark past he was forced to live. Deep down, he was still the gentle spirit she had once known, trapped behind the rough and chaotic exterior of the demonic soul residing within him.

_Like tiny grains in a sandstorm, innocent in their nature but unable to fight the strong wind that carry them, she mused._

"But you're right, I should have known Kankuro wouldn't have changed for me," she agreed softly and more somberly to Gaara's earlier statement, pushing aside all other thoughts, "Even the weather here doesn't change that often."

As soon as the words had left her mouth, Tenten felt the calm air around them noticeably shift from the calmness it had settled into before. Short strands of her hair that had managed to escape the buns on her head flew about in the wind, brushing along her baked skin as she gazed in the distance at something she couldn't quite make out yet. She was forced to shield her eyes from the partials of sand swirling about them.

"Looks like I spoke too soon," the kunoichi from Konoha mumbled.

The kunoichi could see dark shadows lingering around the rocky edges of the surrounding plateaus, standing out amid the pale coloring of the desert. Normally she would be able to see clearly, but a thin wall of sand obscured her view. Turning towards Gaara, she saw that he was having no problems with the current weather. Familiar with the changing climates that occurred frequently in the region, she expected no less from him. The kunoichi only wished she had managed to gain such knowledge after all the time she had spent there as well.

"A sandstorm is coming," was Gaara's simple statement.

"I see," was Tenten's response, "So it that time of year again?"

A slight incline of his head was all she got in reply from the red-headed shinobi as he kept his eyes on the horizon and the raging winds that were expected to come. It would be hard to judge how far they were from the village, the flat terrain of the desert giving no distinction or marker for distance. They would have to make due with Gaara's familiarity and connection with the sand.

"It came sooner than I expected, this year," the younger shinobi commented, "Usually sandstorm season would come at the end of August."

"The weather's the one thing you can't predict in Suna," Tenten responded with a shrug. Then turning to face him, she started to ask, "Should we go warn -"

"No," Gaara interrupted flatly, "The villagers already know."

"Oh…of course," was all that the kunoichi could say.

Glancing around, Tenten noticed that indeed the streets had emptied of pedestrians and wanderers. As citizens of the Sand Village, it was obvious that they would be able to see the telltale signs of any oncoming danger from the desert that surrounded them and manage to run to safety. Even now, gusts of sand were swirling rapidly around the tall buildings, kicking up clouds of dust and debris. The kunoichi had to raise a hand up to shield her eyes from the assault, squinting as she tried to look between her fingers at the scene developing before her.

Whether out of some daring attempt to see how long they could withstand the brunt of the storm or something else entirely, neither made an attempt to escape the brutal winds whipping about them, both choosing to stand there amid the haze sand. Tenten could feel the tiny grains scrapping against her skin, individually harmless but overall extremely dangerous. The gritty texture was starting to find its way into her mouth and ears, creeping into every opening it could. And still she remained standing there alongside him, awaiting the beauty of nature to reveal her art.

The weapon goddess from the Leaf stood there in awe as she watched the world unfold before here. Ripples moved along the sandy ground like snakes slithering towards their prey, objects twisted and turned in the wind like birds soaring in the sky. It was a show of Mother Nature that was both dangerous but still mesmerizing to watch. All the while she was oblivious to Gaara's observance as he marveled over the strength of will she presented before him. There weren't many he knew who could withstand a sandstorm this close in proximity let alone tolerate the grating winds long enough to survive. It was obvious that she had lost all train of thought for her surroundings, but even she could not ignore the biting sting from the desert's essence. Even he had the use of his sand armor to protect his body from the harsh elements.

As if she could hear his thoughts, Tenten turned towards the forgotten sand-nin and away from the winds of the storm, coughing as the sand began irritating the inside of her throat. Pulling up the collar of her shirt, the leaf-kunoichi attempted to shield herself further from the assault, each grain being moved and controlled by the untamed wind. Her cough was starting to become uncontrollable as the gritty texture made its way down her throat, clogging up her air passages. Out if instinct she backed up against the house, closing her eyes to a strong gust of wind and dust as she pressing hard against the building in hopes of gaining some shelter from the storm.

She was relieved when the wind lessened a fraction around her, just as she had expected to happen. But the leaf-nin became completely confused when it suddenly seemed to disappear almost entirely. Taking the risk of exposing herself Tenten slowly opened her eyes only to find them staring straight into Gaara's green orbs. He was standing mere inches away from her, so close that the kunoichi could feel his soft breath grazing against her cheeks. In this close proximity, she could smell the faint scent leaves with a hint of wood that could only be from the Fire Country. Whether it was some trick of her imagination or the last traces of his previous mission didn't matter much. It was mesmerizing all the same.

"Gaara," Tenten finally managed to whispered, barely audible even to her.

"We should go inside," the sand-nin stated evenly, finding the situation a bit too awkward for his liking, "The storm is shifting."

"Right," Tenten slowly agreed, speaking a little louder to be heard over howling wind.

Not willing to wait and see if the kunoichi would follow, Gaara slowly made his way towards the doors of the house, keeping one hand on the walls of the house to guide him. The moment she was out from the safety of his form, Tenten felt the strong winds of the storm push and pull against her.

"Hm, shifting indeed," she mused to herself, scoffing at the metaphoric irony of her statement.

With a sigh of contentment accompanied by a small grin, the older girl finally scrambled to follow her companion indoors. In a window above them stood two lone figures, the elder occupants of the house. One blonde was smirking with glee at how good her plan had turned out while the other merely looked on with a skeptic attitude.

"Are you sure it was a good idea trying to get those two together, Temari?" Kankuro inquired as he glanced over to his sister.

Said kunoichi merely sent a knowing look towards her younger brother before taking a step back from the window. All the while a smile remained on her pale lips. Kankuro watched as she wordlessly left the room, leaving him to curiously look out the window once again at the empty space that had been previously occupied by his brother and the girl from the Leaf village.

"Well," he mumbled with a shrug, a small smirk finding its way to his lips, "Looks like the weather isn't the only thing that's changing."

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**AN:** Next month's theme will most likely be the last of these because we were only given 12 for the year from the community. **But** if you wish for me to continue on with this, give me some themes to work with please. I'll get to work on them as soon as I can. I'd hate to see this end, wouldn't you?

**Next Month's Theme:** School-time Fun!


	12. Going Old School

**Theme:** School-time Fun!

**Pairing:** ShinoTen seduction

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Going Old School**

Too busy glancing behind her for a following shadow, the kunoichi failed to see what was in front of her. Turning back a little too late to catch it, the tree branch slapped her in the face as she zoomed by. The twig-like arms scrapped smoothly along her cheek, leaving a blood-red mark in its wake. She ignored the momentary sting as she continued on restlessly.

She had been running for what seemed like hours, occasionally pausing only long enough to catch her breath before pushing on. She had little time to waste on forming a plan and for now she was just content on running. The sun had set long before, leaving her to muddle her way through the forest in the pitch black of night.

"You can't hide from me Tenten," came the ominous voice that had been pursuing her, "Eventually I'll find you."

A smirk graced the kunoichi's lips at his unspoken challenge, taking note of how far away he had sounded. It wasn't often that her speed and stealth were an advantage over another, especially with Lee and Neji as her teammates. After all the years she had spent in their company, the high-ranking kunoichi had almost forgotten that normal shinobis don't often train with weights strapped to their limbs or sewn into their clothing.

With that in mind, she unhooked the belt around her waist and tossed it aside, heavy and teeming with extra weight. Her jacket followed right after. Instantly, her movements became slightly faster without the additional load holding her down as she quickly made her trek away from the gates of the village. He would be expecting her to go that way, to hide among the civilians. But that would have been all too easy and not quite as fun.

"There's nothing I like more than a challenge," she said softly to herself.

Without having to slow down, she pushed off the trunk of a nearby tree and effectively changed her direction. Instead of following the line of trees bordering the village walls, she was heading deeper and deeper into the forest where there would be more places for her to hide, making it harder for her stalker to find her.

He was nowhere in sight as she had expected, most likely relying on the eyes and senses of his tiny companions to locate her. She couldn't deny the novelty and convenience of having thousands of tiny insects aiding in her capture. They could be anywhere and everywhere, making it difficult for her to do much without his knowing.

_But that was the point to all of this wasn't it?_ Tenten thought to herself, _As a ninja, you have to be prepared to face anything._

The soft crack from above stole her attention away from her thoughts. Feeling the need to investigate she slid to a stop just before a small opening in the woods, kicking up clouds of dirt in the process. Falling to the ground in front of her was a broken tree branch, landing with a soft thud and bringing with it small twigs that had snapped off during its decent.

As if to emphasize the impact of the branch, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed immediately by the booming crash of thunder. A heavy downpour of rain fell, drenching her already sweat-covered clothes. Quickly ducking behind a nearby tree, Tenten couldn't help but smile at her stroke of luck. The roaring sound of the storm and pouring rain would limit the abilities of the Aburame's insect companions, giving her a slight advantage.

She peered around the tree trunk just in time to see him leap to the ground, landing in a graceful squat with barely a noise to indicate his presence. The surface of his glasses shone brightly as they reflected the deadly light dancing across the horizon. Rivulets of water streamed down his face and overcoat, creating ever changing liquid designs. The head of hair that had always seemed to puff out from under the band of his forehead protector now seemed smaller in size, slightly weighted down by the rain.

Unlike most people, Shino seemed not at all effected by the changing of the weather condition. But considering the fact that this was Shino, it was hard for Tenten to notice any sort of change in his demeanor. After all, it was no secret that he held the safety and convenience of his multi-legged friends over that of any humans aside from his closest of friends and his teammates.

He turned his head slightly to one side as if listening for a noise. But the older kunoichi had been around the bug master long enough to know that he was merely conversing with Keiko, the lead kikai bug in his army of tiny insect soldiers. And there was something about the way he nodded his head that just didn't sit well with the weapon specialist.

_What's he planning?_, she pondered.

Another flash of lightning caused her to move fully behind the trunk of the tree. Any source of light would give her position away if she continued to watch him as she did. The sloppy sound of mud informed her of his movements, slow and steady as they were. He was searching for her. From his last readings, he knew she was very near but thankfully because of the storm, the bug master couldn't be sure where she was hiding.

Closing her eyes to all other distractions, Tenten focused on following his chakra signature, all the while keeping her own as low as it could be. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized Shino was just on the other side of the tree she was hiding behind, almost faltering in her concentration and giving away her position to him. Quietly and carefully she turned her head from one side of the trunk to the other in order to keep an eye out for his looming and shadowed form.

While the young Aburame searched for her in one direction, Tenten darted off on another, making her escape before the insect master would realize where she was. The plan would have worked had she not been stopped by a few well-thrown kunais that embedded themselves in her direct path. Using her pause as a distraction, the real Shino pounced on her, quickly pinning her hands to the tree trunk with his own. Over his shoulder the kunoichi saw his shadowed form dissolve into a thousand tiny insects before returning into the confines and safety of their master's jacket.

"…Tag," was Shino's emotionless declaration, "You're it."

"That's really nice," Tenten responded, leaning her head back to rest against the bark, "But we were playing Hide and Seek, Shino."

"It doesn't matter," the Aburame heir said nonchalantly, "I still caught you."

"So, you have," she scoffed, "What do you want a metal?"

"No," he replied, the corners of his mouth turning upwards in a almost unnoticeable smirk, "Something much more rewarding."

That said, the younger shinobi quietly leaned in, gently pressing his lips against hers. Despite the cold and the rain chilling them both to the bone, there was a heat that couldn't be ignored from the contact. Tenten could feel the kakai bugs stirring within the confines of his oversized jacket at the friction and chemistry boiling up between them. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

"See, isn't this better than any schoolyard game you ever played when you were little?" she questioned smugly, unable to hide the grin forming on her lips.

"Indeed," Shino replied, raising a brow in anticipation as he released her hands.

"If the villagers could see you now," she mused teasingly with amusement, her chilled fingers caressing his damp cheek, "Quiet and serious Shino playing Hide and Seek in the dark."

"It was your idea," the young Aburame pointed out.

"And you agreed to it," Tenten countered.

"…Touché," was all that he could say to that.

The kunoichi pulled him in for another kiss, this one more heated and passionate than the first as she gripped the back of his neck almost forcefully. With equal determination, Shino's hand trailed down the length of her body to rest on the exposed skin of her hip, unconsciously grasping it tightly in his hand as he pulled her closer. By the time they managed to pulled apart from each other, both had forgotten all about the pouring rain.

"Oh, by the way," Tenten added, teasingly kissing him one more time.

"Hm?" he questioned wordlessly, leaning in for another kiss.

"…You're it," the kunoichi whispered seductively.

And just like that she was off, shoving the unsuspecting young man off of her and disappearing into the shadows of the trees once more, leaving the bug master speechless and unmoving. The echoes of her laughter were what finally broke Shino's daze.

"Hm," was all the bug master said, smirking deviously to himself before setting off to stalk his prey once more.

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**AN: **I know I said last month that this chapter would most likely be the end of _Double Edged Beauty_, but an anniversary contest was issued for the community I was writing these one shots for. So we have two extra chapters to the series making it a total of 14 for the year of monthly themes. I will try my best to continue this beyond that point but I can't unless you, my wonderful readers, give me themes to work with. I suggest formating them in a similar fashion as the ones I've been working with. Basically they were short phrases that could be interpreted in a multitude of ways so as to allow the creativity of my mind to work at all the possible angles and produce something different and hopefully original. So if you wish for me to continue this, I would greatly appreciate the help suggesting themes.

**Next Month's Theme:** Learn to Fly


	13. Among the Leaves

**Theme:** Learn to Fly

**Pairing:** LeeTen

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Note**: Yeah, this one was my secret entry for the anniversary contest. I thank the four members who voted for my submission, but really, the others were so much better. :P

**Among the Leaves**

"Come on Tennie, you can do it," came a familiar voice deep within the forest.

The young kunoichi in-training paused from her balancing act on the slim yet sturdy branch of a grand oak tree to stare at the excited boy with a mixture of horror and annoyance before he disappeared completely into the leaves. The break in her concentration was almost enough to send the girl toppling over the edge towards the mound of dirt that laid piled beneath her. But she had caught herself, only wobbling a bit before managing to straighten herself out. Spreading her arms out wide and resisting the urge to put her other foot down on the wood, Tenten stood tall and strong once again.

Silently she quickly switched her standing position, never letting both of her feet touch the wood at the same time. Without missing a beat, she flipped back into a handstand on top of the thin surface area. The kunoichi in training had only bobbled a little at that, a great improvement from the first time the move had been attempted. She only allowed herself a moment to beam with pride before it quickly casting it aside to reprimand her friend.

"Lee, I thought I told you never to call me that," she called out, searching for her hiding companion amid the strands of hair that cascaded over her face.

With a puff of air to blow the dark locks aside, the young girl let her eyes sweep across the expanse of forest that laid out before her. Slips of movement dashed here and there just barely outside of her vision, forcing the young brunette to constantly search around for her easily excited teammate while still maintaining the difficult stance. But despite her irritation, she couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. The new graduates from the Ninja Academy had been announced only hours before and the both of them had been among the newly appointed Genins of the village. More importantly, they had been assigned to the same team.

"Correction, you told me not to call you that in front of others," Lee assessed from some unknown point among the leaves, "We're alone in the forest now."

"Well I'm changing it," the kunoichi in training responded, her legs swaying a bit from the constant movement, "Now could you please stop playing around and help me like you said you would?"

"Of course," Lee agreed cheerfully, popping up right beside her.

"Whoa!" Tenten cried out, having been taken off guard by his sudden appearance.

Her legs flailed about and her arms moved along the branch as she fought to retain her balance, but it was a losing battle as she pitched forward over the edge of the tree branch. Tenten's eyes widen at the rush of air filling in all around her. A deep foreboding embedded itself in the pit of her stomach as the ground began to rush up at her. And in the next instance, she felt a hand grip onto her arm. Tenten stared down at the ground in awe, intimidated by the height that stood between her and the divide to the here after.

Glancing past her strained limb, the brunette looked up at Lee as he gripped tightly to her arm, bent over the side of the branch at an odd angle. The young girl stared in awe at the strength that he had despite his slender frame, but was still none the less thankful for his quickness.

"Are you alright?" the young shinobi in training inquired, letting none of the strain of pulling her up filter into his voice.

"I'm fine," the brunette replied, trying hard to keep from looking down again, "Just pull me up, quick."

Never one to disappoint a female in need, Lee used all his might to pull her back on to the sturdy tree limb, making sure that such an incident would not happen again before letting go of her. As she made to stand up once again on the natural platform formed in the wood, Tenten worked to catch her breath. All the while Lee watched her intently for any sign that indicated that she had enough of training, but there were none.

"You're getting better at that," the young boy commented when she remained quiet.

"…Stop humoring me," the kunoichi in training finally managed to say, her voice sounding so defeated.

"I'm not kidding," Lee protested, "You delayed your fall long enough for me to catch you."

"Like your speed had nothing to do with it," she scoffed in response.

"Well I'll admit, that did help a little bit," he stated, sheepishly scratching the back of his head, "But you're ability to retain your balance for as long as you did was a factor as well."

"…Really?" came her hopeful inquiry as the brunette lifted her head to glance up at him.

The shinobi trainee merely nodded excitedly in reply, accompanied by a wide smile that was nothing short of contagious. Even despite the near death experience she had and the unpleasant mood that resulted from it, the kunoichi in training found herself joining him in the cheerful exchange. With a shake of her head, she turned to the side to gaze out at the forest of trees and branches that stretched before them. Against her will, she also glanced back down at the ground, resisting the urge to step back at the seeing the long drop once again. With a tired sigh, the smile soon disappeared, replaced by concern and doubt.

"Long way down huh?" Lee mumbled quietly.

"Yeah," was all Tenten could manage to say, her voice losing it's strength at the sight.

"So…are you ready to move on to the next stage?" he inquired enthusiastically, seeming to have quickly forgotten about the previous incident.

"After what just happened?" Tenten reminded him with great apprehension, "…No."

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall," the young shinobi in training assured her, "I'll be here to catch you."

Holding on to the trunk of the tree, the kunoichi in training felt her heart drop into her stomach at the height, the memory of her near death experience still fresh in her mind. There was nothing she wanted more than to simply swallow her fears and complete the training session on an extremely high note. But her insecurities reached further back than a simple case of anxieties.

"Don't you trust me?" Lee questioned, making her feel terrible for hesitating.

"I do but…" she started to say. But when she saw the eagerness in his eyes, her heart simply gave in to the guilt. "Oh fine, but if I die..."

"If you die…then I'll give you a nice funeral," the young boy responded cheerfully, giving her a thumbs-up in affirmation.

"…That's not funny, Lee," the kunoichi in training stated flatly.

Still grinning cheerfully, the young student shrugged off her response and hopped off into a nearby branch, continuing on until he was a few trees away from where Tenten was standing. He stopped to look back as if calling her to hurry up and follow before disappearing into the foliage. The brunette hesitated a moment as she looked back down at the long drop. She could picture the outcome of her attempt, the fall towards the ground where her body would land with a loud and resounding thud as it made contact with the earth. Tenten swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat as her brows furrowed in a mixture of fear and determination.

"I can do this," she muttered to herself, "I am first and foremost, a kunoichi; I can't let my fears take control of my mission."

With that said, she rushed off the edge of the branch, sailing through the air to the next one in line. The momentum of her leap pushed her forward to the one following it and the one after that, continuing on until she found herself rushing forward at a constant rate. Fixing her eyes ahead, the kunoichi in training spotted Lee zipping through the trees, turning back occasionally to most likely keep track of her progress. He smiled from ear to ear at the sight of her, turning around just long enough to flash a thumbs up sign while still managing to maintain his course.

Feeling the pride building up inside of her, Tenten smiled back at him, staring in wonder as he flipped over a rather large gap in the trees. She had been less graceful in her form, simply pitching forward like normal; it had been her only option. Slowing down to think the matter over would have reduced her momentum and she had been running to fast to stop in time.

The distance was too far, but despite that the kunoichi in training still reached out her hand in hopes of grabbing onto something that would stop her descent, looking on in shock when she saw Lee situated on the tree limb like a trapeze artist and reaching back towards her. Their hands connected together as both gripped on to the other, Tenten holding on for dear life. With the force of her initial jump, Lee's body arched forward with her movement like a swing.

The next thing the brunette knew, she was somersaulting through the air and gripping onto the branch that was on the other side, resuming with the motion until she could manage to jump regularly among the treetops once more. Tenten gazed back as Lee popped up from his upside-down position and made to catch up with her. Instead of letting the shinobi in training overwork himself, the young girl skidded to a stop on a fairly decent sized tree limb, panting as she waited for her companion to land beside her.

"How'd I do?" Tenten asked once she managed to catch her breath.

"Better than I could ever hope," Lee replied with pride, his smile a bit brighter than usual.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," the young girl stated cynically, "I know that was terrible."

"But you didn't fall," came his response to her comment.

"Only because you were there to catch me again," was Tenten's bitter retort.

"…And I always will be," the young shinobi in training said solemnly, "I'll always be there for you, no matter what."

It warmed her heart to hear the energetic young boy say that, as he knew it would. Both smiled thoughtfully at each other before beginning their slow climb down to the ground, leaving behind their more serious attitudes for the familiar traits mannerisms of friendship. The sun had traveled a great distance in the sky, having climbed up into the sky during their long and rigorous morning session. Tenten was glad to be under the shade of the forest during the warmest part of the day, quietly setting out the lunch that she had made for the both of them.

"When do we meet the rest of our team?" she asked as she passed a healthy sandwich over to Lee.

"The paper he left us said to be at the assigned training field tomorrow morning," he replied, accepting the offered food graciously.

"You think this Maito Gai person they set us up with will be a good sensei?" Tenten inquired curiously.

She had never worked on a team before and aside from Lee had never really associated herself with others when it came to learning the art of the shinobi. No doubt the experience would be unusual at first and prove to be difficult with the melding of different ideals of the individuals involved.

"He's a Jounin, so I suspect that he would," was her companion's simple response, a bit muffled by the mouthful of food.

"Just because he's a high ranking shinobi doesn't automatically make him a good sensei," the young girl quietly retorted, ignoring his brief bout of bad manners, "I mean, look at the Copy Nin, he's never passed a team."

"Then I guess we should be grateful we weren't assigned to him," Lee lightly retorted, seeming so casual in his demeanor.

She smiled at his comment, ever the eternal optimist that he was. The trait would often grate against her nerves on occasion. But now as they sat among the trees in the forest in perfect silence, it didn't seem so bad. Tenten was actually a bit thankful as it did well to calm her anxieties…much like Lee had always managed to do.

"…Thanks, Lee," Tenten said softly, just before she leaned over and gently kissed him on the cheek.

"…For what?" the young boy asked, his cheeks dusted pink at the gesture.

"For teaching me how to fly…like a shinobi," she replied with a genuine smile.

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**AN: **Good news everyone, twelve more themes have been issued over at the tensquared community on LJ. So that means at least another year of Tenten and DEB! Yay! I'll get started on submitting those when I finish the anniversary themes.

**Next Month's Theme:** Not Like Others


	14. First Impressions

**Theme:** Not Like Others

**Pairing:** SasuTen

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**First Impressions**

I had never seen anyone like her before. I think the same went for everyone else in the village. I could very well guess that not many in the village had ever met anyone like her family. After all, she really wasn't your average kunoichi in training. She was unlike any other girl that I had come across in my few years of life, and she certainly didn't act like them. Then again, mother did mention that her family had just returned from a long journey in the Northwest. That might explain the strange clothing. In any case, I didn't like her very much and she seemed to return the sentiments.

"Sasuke, come here and meet Tenten," my mother called to me.

Reluctantly, I stood up from where I sat quietly by Itachi's side and shuffled over to stand by my mother like the good boy I had been raised to be. I was cautious of them, as any child that age would be around people they were unfamiliar with. My mother had sensed this and moved to put her hands gently on my shoulders in reassurance, essentially turning me around to face the mysterious girl and her family.

She couldn't have been any older than I was, but yet she held this serious presence that seemed beyond her years. I suppose that was what grandfather had meant when he said that some people were born with an old soul. Then again, maybe it was just a factor of her different upbringing and background. Whatever the case, she was still a foreign concept to me at that age.

She wore a strange kimono unlike any that I had ever seen, looking repulsed at having to wear it while still holding herself up in a respectable manner. Her short, dark brown hair flowed over the high collar and scrapped along her shoulders while she turned her head to stare up curiously at her mother.

"Tenten, say hello to Sasuke," the older lady said to her.

With an almost inaudible sigh, the young girl lowered her head in defeat and turned to me. The barely visible pout and rebellious glint in her eyes went unnoticed by everyone else gathered there except for me. Having been a frequent user of those features, I saw and recognized them immediately. Keeping on with the fascade, she clasped her hands together in front of her and gave a low bow, causing her short hair to briefly cover her unique face. I remember thinking about how much I wanted to brush those strands aside so that I could see her face again, quickly pushing such thoughts away because of how strange they seemed to me.

"Hello," she greeted meekly.

"Welcome," I replied in the same manner, mimicking her motions.

The seemingly innocent exchange earned a chuckle from both our mothers, only resulting in me scowling at the sound, thinking that they were mocking us. But a gentle hand stroking my hair assured me that they weren't making fun of us. Despite that, I still couldn't help but be annoyed at their chuckles, and I could tell that this Tenten girl didn't like it one bit either. But a slight crease in the girl's brows was the only indication of the irritation she felt towards their laughter. Trying her best to ignore it, she briefly tugged at her garments in an irritated manner.

"Tenten's family are old friends of mine and your father's," my mother explained, turning to my brother, thinking that he would understand better than me, "They just moved back here a few days ago from…where was it?"

"Well, originally we had only intended to scout out territories beyond the Earth Country in hopes of claiming the lands for the Fire Country to use as resources," the girl's father explained, "But we got delayed when this little one decided to show up."

At the words "little one" the young looking man patted Tenten on the head in a loving yet demeaning way. She sent a quick and innocent glare in his direction at the name of endearment from her father before returning to her well mannered composure, fiddling with something in her hand that I hadn't seen earlier when we exchanged our greetings.

"Well then, let me be the first to say welcome back to Konoha," Itachi said politely, bowing respectfully towards his elders. Then turning to Tenten he added, "I hope you'll like it here."

"Thank you," she replied quietly, tearing her attention away from the object in her hand as she bowed her head to my brother out of formality.

"Have you enrolled her into the Ninja Academy yet?" my mother asked, briefly glancing at the girl as she continued to lovingly stroke my hair.

"Yes, of course," the older lady replied cheerfully, "She wants to be a ninja just like her parents, isn't that right?"

"Right," the little girl replied confidently, a genuine smile on her face for once.

A glint of metal from between her fingers caught my eye. Turning around to look at my brother, he gave a slight incline of his head, indicating that he saw it as well. Pleased to find that I wasn't imagining things, I turned back to face Tenten's family. She was back to fiddling with whatever was in her hand, seeming to be entranced with the mysterious object.

"I must say we don't get that many kunoichis in this village," my father commented, "It's mostly still traditional, though I hear the Hyuuga clan is starting to train it's women in combat as well."

"Well, I'm sure Ten-chan here will give those white-eyed Hyuugas a run for their money," her father responded confidently.

"Little Sasuke is excited about his first year in the Ninja Academy as well," my mother informed them, much to my dismay.

"This is his first year?" Tenten's mother asked curiously, "But he was only born a few months after Tenten."

"Yes, that is true," my mother agreed, "Unfortunately, his birthday is past the cutoff date so we had to wait a year before he could be enrolled."

"Oh, what a shame," her mother said in disappointment, "I was hoping Sasuke and Tenten would be in the same class."

Said girl looked up from the object in her palms to roll her eyes at the thought of the two of us being in the same class. To say that I was angered at her blatant disrespect was an understatement, I was furious. I heard my brother snickering behind me, having obviously been witness to her actions. The adults in the room were oblivious to the girl's silent insults towards me, though. Sighing in defeat, I turned to look at the girl again only to find that she was staring back at me.

"What?" I asked, forgetting that we were surrounded by people.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" she inquired, shocking me with the fact that she could say more than one word at a time.

"What's that you keep looking at in your hands?" I asked, pointing to her closed hands sitting in her lap.

Rather than reply verbally to my question, she lifted the object from where it was hidden in the folds of her dress. In her hand was clasped a slightly smaller kunai knife, seemingly to be the perfect size for her underdeveloped hands. She looked at me in a bored manner as I observed the wonder before me. The only weapons I had the chance to witness in person were the ones stored in the family temple located at the back of the compound. And even then with the large array of weaponry at my disposal, I wasn't allowed to touch them.

"Tenten, I thought I told you to keep that at home," her mother scolded.

"But I never went anywhere without it in the last village," she protested, obviously making a good point from the way her parents reacted.

They paused at the young girl's comment, both parents at a lost for words. All the while the girl bowed her head shamefully, saddened that she had upset her parents by bringing the small weapon with her.

"I'm sorry," she said meekly, the shame evident in her voice.

At seeing how hurt their daughter was, Tenten's mother and father guiltily looked at each other for some form of support but finding none. I glanced over to my mother and father as they stood witness to this awkward moment as well. My father being a skilled and high-ranking shinobi, was first to regain his composure.

"It's alright, a good shinobi should always be prepared after all," my father stated, sending a reassuring smile and wink at Tenten, "That is the marking of a truly great warrior."

At this, a small smile came to the little girl's face, indicating that my father had accomplished his mission. Tenten's parents also seemed relived at how quickly my father was able to lift the girl's spirits.

"Well, I think that's our cue to leave," the young girl's father said cheerfully, standing up from where he sat on the couch.

"Oh, don't go yet," my mother said, a hint of disappointment at their leaving.

"As much as we'd like to stay, we can't," the older woman explained, "We haven't unpacked everything yet and little Tenten needs to prepare for her first day at her new school tomorrow."

"Well, we're right down the street if you need anything," my mother stated, giving the other woman a loving hug, "It's so good to have the two of you back."

"It's nice to be back," the other woman agreed. Then turning to us, she added, "It was nice meeting all of you."

Following them to the front door, we watched as they walked down the street towards their own home. Tenten stood in between her parents, holding on to each of their hands with her own. As they were strolling away Tenten made to look back at me, strands of hair slipping from behind her ear to obscure the exotic features of her face before she looked forward again. The scene was almost picture perfect as I looked on in awe.

"Looks like little Sasuke's found himself a girlfriend," my brother teased, seeing the dazed expression on my face.

"She is a cute one, isn't she?" my father agreed jokingly.

"Oh you guys, leave Sasuke alone," my mother said in rebuke, ignoring their bouts of laughter, "Honestly, you would think the two of you were seven years old."

Sparing a glance inside at them as they continued to laugh at my expense, I ignored their teasing and turned back to Tenten's family disappearing into the horizon. I will admit that I was curious about this girl, her behavior and personality being so unconventional for that of Konoha. She was unique to say the least and would indubitably stand out among the other students.

"So what did you think of Tenten?" my mother asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"She's…not like the other girls I know," I replied, still watching the horizon where her family had disappeared.

"Something tells me you'll be saying that a lot about her," my mother mused aloud, chuckling at some secret joke.

It would be many years and many mistakes later before I would realize exactly what she meant.

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**Next Month's Theme:** Trick or Treat


	15. Caramel Delight

**Theme:** Trick or Treat

**Pairing:** SasuTen

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Caramel Delight**

"Come on daddy, let's go!" a young girl called out, tugging at the reluctant hand with all her might.

The dark prodigy resisted the urge to groan in front of his daughter, always a little fearful of exposing her to any form of negative energy. The last thing he wanted was for the little angel to turn into a miniature replica of his former self. After all, daddy's little girl will always be that no matter who the father was, even if said father was Uchiha Sasuke.

"Slow down, Keiko," the young shinobi mumbled to his little girl, "The candy will still be there."

"But daddy," she protested, stopping only long enough to look up at him with a pout.

Sasuke could feel his resolve crumbling under her gaze, her two dark and tearful looking eyes staring back so innocently. There was no doubt the little Uchiha girl inherited her father's tactful thinking. Coupled with her mother's own mischievous behaviors, she would prove to be a formidable opponent, especially against the current head of the clan.

"Keiko, stop that," Tenten called from a distance behind them, holding on to the girls more quiet twin brother, "What did I tell you about using that move on your father?"

"Not to do it unless you approved first?" the little tyke responded, tilting her head to the side curiously.

At that Sasuke looked down at his daughter, lifting a questioning brow before turning to give his wife the same expression. It was met with a nervous laugh as the kunoichi anxiously scratched at the back of her head. But before he could say a word to her about it, Tenten had ushered the twins down the street towards the next house, knocking on the door so that they could go through the motions of the holiday. The Uchiha patriarch made to follow, only to stop when a rustle in the bushes caught his attention.

Concerned about the safety of his family, the ANBU captain unflinchingly reached into the suspicious scrub, pulling out two particularly frightened villagers. Sasuke promptly rolled his eyes at them after properly assessing who they were and proceeded to toss them out on the dirt road. Immediately upon hitting the ground, both scrambled to their feet and fled the scene.

"They'll never learn," the young Uchiha commented with a shake of his head.

Such things were a common occurrence in his life, especially after he essentially made his relationship to Tenten public. But when the decision had first been made to reveal their secret love affair, neither shinobi had imagined that the villagers would be so interested in hearing every detail concerning the events that occurred between the two. It got worse when they decided to get married, only managing to keep it secret by having the ceremony in the privacy of the Uchiha compound. But the excessive snooping and prying reached its catastrophic peak when it was discovered that Tenten would be giving birth to an Uchiha heir.

"Nara was right," Sasuke sighed to himself, "People ARE troublesome."

"Well, if it isn't the Uchihas," a familiar voice greeted, "Out on a youthful adventure I see."

"Uncle Lee!" both Ren and Keiko exclaimed at the same time, both rushing to hug said shinobi.

Strolling up the street was none other than the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha, Rock Lee. But to the Uchiha patriarch, he was better known as Tenten's former teammate as well as the person his children called uncle since neither he nor Tenten had any real family to speak of. Though he hated to admit it, Sasuke was thankful for Lee's child-like innocence; it was a good influence for both Keiko and Ren. Coupled with Hinata's endless kindness, days spent at the Rock household were always enjoyable.

"They've certainly got their mother's spirit," Lee commented cheerfully, squatting down to properly return their gesture of adoration.

"Hello Lee," Tenten said to her former teammate, quickening her pace to catch up to the three of them, "It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too, Tenten," he said, returning the sentiments. Then turning to the younger shinobi, he added with a bow of his head, "And you as well, Sasuke."

"That's an interesting costume you've got there, Lee," the Uchiha commented after nodding his greeting as well, only to staring at the red suit that the taijutsu master was wearing, "Why are you dressed like Santa Claus?"

"Who better to be to spread the cheerful spirit of youth?" Lee proposed in his usual enthusiastic flare, "Why should such a great figure only be praised one time during the year?"

"But he's not even - " Sasuke started to say.

An elbow was sent to the shinobi's ribs as Tenten quickly stopped him from completing his sentence. It was common knowledge among her team that Lee still believed in Santa Claus no matter now much the other kids would deny and tease him about it. And while that made it difficult to deliver Lee's gifts every year, Team Gai made it a priority to keep the young taijutsu master from believing otherwise for fear of breaking his fragilely noble heart. Quietly the Uchiha patriarch grumbled his protests while he rubbed at the forming bruise.

"I'm sure he's flattered at your gesture, Lee," the kunoichi commented to hide her husband's obvious discomfort, "It's certainly a change from the usual green, though it would fit the Christmas theme."

"Oh if only Halloween lasted for another day so that I may delve in the green of the season as well," he shouted with growing vigor.

"Yeah…it's a real shame," Sasuke commented flatly, looking off to the side to roll his eyes at the thought.

Never one to get used to Lee's over exaggerated exclamations, Sasuke made an exasperated expression, only to have it disappear instantly with another elbow to the ribs. Wincing at the double assault, his eyes darted over to Tenten where she gave him a silent reprimand for him to be civil. The young Uchiha replied simply with a look of defeat, knowing just how unforgiving the kunoichi could be when Lee wasn't shown the proper respect.

"Come on, let's go!" Ren called, eagerly pulling at his mother's hand in hopes of speeding up their slow pace.

"Why don't you go show the kids the youthful spirit of Santa, Lee?" the kunoichi suggested, finding herself not in the mood to go door to door and knowing that her teammate would be more than happy to go with the kids.

"What a great idea, Tenten!" Lee agreed excitedly before grabbing the twins and disappearing down the road to the next house on the block.

The young brunette watched thoughtfully, lost in reminiscent memories of days past when a scoff reminded her that Sasuke was still standing there. Slowly turning to face him, Tenten flashed an apologetic smile for the extra elbow to his midsection earlier, knowing that he would understand her silent message. The two would often have wordless conversations such as those, most of the time confusing their friends with their unreadable stares.

"You do realize that he's a grown man who still believes in Santa Claus, right?" the clan head questioned, having forgotten about the dual elbow attacks for the moment.

"Oh, let him stay in blissful ignorance, Sake," the kunoichi insisted, keeping her voice down so that they wouldn't be overheard, "Not all of us rely on the convenience of a ANBU uniform."

"I thought I told you not to call me that anymore," the younger shinobi protested, completely dropping the previous subject for one that he felt was more important.

"Since when did I ever listen to you?" came Tenten's reply, accompanied by challenging smirk.

Returning the gesture, the Uchiha clan head pulled his wife in close in hopes of sharing a rare and intimate moment with his wife devoid of peeping and prying eyes. He could feel the corners of her mouth curve upwards against his lips in a satisfied smirk, taking it as a sign that he should continue with his efforts. But the moment was tragically cut short when she made to wrap her arms around his waist, brushing against his bruised chest. Sasuke flinched away from the touch before he had the chance to suppress the instant reaction.

"Sasuke, are you alright?" the kunoichi inquired, true concern in her tone.

"It's nothing," he replied, despite the hand clutching painfully at his ribs.

"Oh Sake, I didn't mean to hit you that hard," Tenten said apologetically, taking the opportunity to cup his cheek to make a show of her true affections towards her injured husband, "We'll put some ice on it when we get home."

"Actually…how about we go home now and forget about the ice?" came the Uchiha's response as the plan quickly formed in his head, clear that it was littered with lustful intent as he slowly moved his hand along her spine, "I'm sure Lee won't mind taking care of the kids."

"Oh! - I think Kakashi-san had more of an influence on you than I initially though," Tenten chuckled quietly, trying not to shiver under the sensuous contact fluttering down the curve of her spine, "Besides, this is how we got the twins in the first place."

"Well, I did say that I'd revive the clan," Sasuke countered, leaning in to nuzzle at her neck, "We can let Lee take them around to the other houses."

"…Uchiha Sasuke, I'm not your personal baby maker," she responded, brushing his advances aside. Then with a smirk, she added, "As tempting as that idea may be, we have a responsibility."

"…Fine," he responded with a defeated sigh.

His arm slipped from around Tenten's waist to grip lightly at her hand as Lee approached with the children. All three were beaming with joy and pride as they walked back up the road, their bags of candy seemingly more full than when they had first ran off. The irony of it was that the overflowing back of sweets only served to add to the effect of Lee's costume, ultimately causing Sasuke to smirk in honorable defeat.

"Hey, guys," Tenten called out to her children, "How did it go?"

"Look at all the candy we got mommy!" Ren exclaimed, almost matching his overzealous uncle as he held open the bag for her to see.

"Can we remember to come to the Akimichi house every year, mom?" little Keiko questioned, brimming with joy at all the sweets she planned on devouring within the week.

"We'll see," the kunoichi replied, sparing a worried glance back at the injured Uchiha patirarch.

"Tenten, I have something for you!" Lee announced as he reached into his bag of candy, "I remembered how much you enjoyed caramel when we were younger."

"Oh Lee, you didn't have to," Tenten muttered, watching in awe as he presented her with a handful of said candy, cozy in their colorful foil wrappers.

"I know, but they're your favorite so I made sure to grab a lot for you," he insisted, holding out the sugary treasure for her to take.

"How sweet," the weapon goddess said thoughtfully, truly touched by the gesture, "Thanks Lee."

"Anything for my flower," the young taijutsu master declared, flashing his famous 'Good Guy Pose' he had learned from Maito Gai.

"Come on, Uncle Lee," Keiko called out as she and Ren padded ahead, "Here's another block we haven't been to."

"Ah, the Flames of Youth are burning brightly in the two of you tonight!" the older shinobi cried out.

With one final smile directed at the Tenten and Sasuke, the young taijutsu master ran off after the little tykes, leaving the two of them alone once again. Tenten had waved at her friend as he made another departure and turned all of her attention to the sweet delights that he had gotten for her. Normally, the kunoichi prided herself in maintaining a healthy diet with the occasional indulgences in sweets. But she had a weakness for caramel, something that few aside from her teammates knew as she made it a point to keep such a fact quiet and obscure.

"So…you like that stuff?" Sasuke inquired, watching with mild interest as his wife happily unwrapped one piece of candy.

She merely nodded in reply, too enamored with her own enjoyment as she popped the sugary treat in her mouth and savored the flavor blissfully. The Uchiha clan head eyed his wife curiously as she hummed in contentment. He had no idea the kunoichi had such a sweet tooth, especially one for caramel.

"Why was I never told of this?" he inquired curiously.

"I would have thought it was obvious," she said in reply, sparing him a glance out the corner of her eye, "After all, I do always keep jars of caramel in stock at home."

"I thought those were for the kids," the Uchiha stated in his defense.

"Yes, well that's why I married you for your looks and not your brains," the kunoichi lightly retorted.

The statement earned her a soft growl from the offended ANBU captain. The kunoichi smiled at his look of irritation and turned to continue down the road, satisfied of her success in teasing him. She missed the devious grin that flashed across the Uchiha's face. Suddenly, without warning, he grabbed Tenten by the waist and promptly spun her around to kiss her deeply, managing to work his tongue into her mouth before she even realized what was happening. When he finally pulled away, she had a awestruck look on her face, dazed from the surprise show of affection.

"…What was that?" she finally asked when the shock had died down.

"Oh, I just wanted a taste," Sasuke replied smoothly, shrugging nonchalantly at the thought.

The kunoichi eyed her husband skeptically, knowing that there was more to this than just a simple curiosity. She hadn't been married to him all these years without learning at least a little bit of the inner workings of his mind. He was up to something. But before she could delve into what it was any further, he leaned in and kissed her again, slipping his tongue in between her waiting lips once again.

"Mmm," Sasuke mused as he pulled away a second time, licking sensuously at his lips, "Delicious."

"Indeed," she had to agree, "But I thought you didn't like sweets."

"I don't, but there are some exceptions," he replied, smirking mischievously when he saw a spark of interest from his wife, "In fact I think there's a jar of caramel at home."

Tenten couldn't help but return the impish gesture as she caught on to his full intent. Normally the older shinobi would hold on to whatever amount of will power that was still left and resisted such advances from her ever persistent husband, but there was something about the way he looked in that ANBU uniform that she just could not resist. To say his body was addicting would be an understatement. To say that she was a bit eager to get home and see what exactly he had in store for her was a given, especially from the way she was looking at him.

"…So, do you think Lee would be willing to take the twins tonight?" the kunoichi quietly inquired, leaning close to lightly nip at his ear.

"Now why didn't I think of that?" the Uchiha patriarch asked rhetorically with satisfaction that his plans had worked out to the benefit of all.

---------------------------------------------------

**Next Month's Theme:** Falling for the First Time


	16. By the Fireside

**Theme:** Falling For The First Time

**Pairing:** ShinoTen

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**By the Fireside**

Keeping a firm hold to one end, Tenten tossed back the scroll, quickly unraveling it and shooting out a barrage of weapons and traps, essentially leaving a virtual gauntlet for the enemy to deal with. The metal gleamed and flashed in the moonlight, serving as the only signal to their presence before disappearing into the night to lay in wait for the enemy to set them off. Satisfied with her efforts to stall their pursuit, she used her chakra to yo-yo the parchment back into her grasp and turned back to continue her escape, positioned at the rear of the squad to ensure that everyone else was covered from an attack. As a student of Maito Gai and one of the leading specialists in her discipline, she had the necessary speed and the most experience in fieldwork of this caliber.

"Three…two…one," she counted down to herself.

An explosion was soon heard afterwards, quickly followed by the sound of hard metal hitting against solid wood indicating that the box of explosive tags and chained sickles had been disturbed. It would take out a handful of agents, lessening the advantage they held over the small band of Konoha shinobis. But the release of weapons would also signal to the enemy that there were other traps about and they would be more careful, perhaps even taking to the treetops in hopes of avoiding her traps all together.

"The trees!" the kunoichi realized, much too late, "I knew I forgot something."

The brunette could only hope that some of her devices had managed to spring upwards towards the higher branches. Suddenly, a kunai caught the kunoichi in the arm, telling her otherwise. The sharp blade slashed at the pink fabric of her sleeve as well as cutting at the skin underneath; the rain-nins were not going to stop their hunt any time soon. A low whizzing sound indicated that they were using the chained sickles she had left behind. Kicking off against a nearby tree trunk, Tenten leapt into the air to avoid getting pinned, landing softly on the ground as three sharp-edged blades embedded themselves deep into the tough bark. The second attack, however, came too quickly to avoid as she only had enough time to bring up her arms to protect any vital organs from major damage. But they never reached their target.

Dust flew up as the barrier of bugs rose up to block the chained sickles from embedding their sharp claws into the flesh of the kunoichi. When she didn't feel the impact of the weapons, Tenten carefully peeked out from the safety of her arms only to find her commanding officer looming quietly beside her. His hands were casually stuffed in his pockets in the usual calm stance he was prone to take during battle.

"…Captain?" she inquired, wondering why he wasn't in front leading the squad back to the village.

A shower of senbon needles came rushing down at them, some managing to break through the wall of kakai bugs, cutting her off from any further questioning. Running on instinctual response, Tenten reached back for a scroll to quickly counter the attack, only pausing long enough for the tiny beetles to make an opening for her larger weapons to fly through. The holes in their defenses closed up once again, only allowing her to hear the hard impact and grunts of pain from the rain-nins.

"Go," came the bug master's calm reply to her previous query, gesturing with a slight jerk of his head for her to continue back to the Hidden Leaf Village with the others.

The kunoichi knew better than to question Shino's orders, especially since he out-ranked her in both skill and title. He had been assigned as the captain of the mission by the Hokage herself, after all. So without another word, Tenten headed off to join with the others with the young Aburame following not too far behind, keeping his insect barrier at the ready to keep the squad safe should there be any further attacks. She released a few smoke bombs for good measure to cover up their escape while the agents of Rain worked to gather their wits.

"That should keep them for a while," the kunoichi commented, mostly to herself but loud enough for her companion to hear.

She ran for what seemed like hours, never ceasing or slowing down until finally Shino called for them to stop for the night. By that time the moon had already made its slow climb into the darkened sky, casting its shadows on a sleeping world. Everyone moved silently to set up camp, going through the usual motions of splitting up the chores of gathering the needed supplies. Shino rubbed tiredly at his aching eyes, working around the rim of his trademark shades.

Maintaining the insect barrier for that long had used up a lot more chakra than he had intended, leaving him utterly tired and in a foul mood. The squad had proved to be a disappointment from the start, teeming with newly appointed and inexperienced Chuunins. The only exception seemed to be Tenten, and that was only because she held seniority over the others and had already done fieldwork past the Genin level. It was for that reason that he made no objections when the Hokage made her his second in command for the mission.

"So this is what Konoha has been reduced to?" the young Aburame scoffed to himself, "Shameful."

His brows furrowed at the thought, only adding to the intimidating façade that the Chuunins feared, none of the younger agents daring to approach their commanding officer unless absolutely necessary. Shino sat there in front of the campfire in muted silence, seemingly oblivious to all the activity going on about him while he brooded on the matter. The bug manipulator was so preoccupied with his great disappointment and irritation that he barely noticed when Tenten sat down across the fire from him. She let out a quiet sigh to make sure he knew she was there, knowing that even the talented Aburame Shino could be distracted by deep thinking.

Throwing another log into the fire, the kunoichi casually glanced at the silent Aburame for what seemed like the millionth time stopped. He had appeared uncharacteristically stressed over the outcome of the mission, which worried her more than the thought of facing an ambush behind enemy lines. A squad was only as strong as their leader, relying on his orders to get them through anything that they faced; and Aburame Shino was one of the strongest shinobis she knew.

"Are you alright, Captain?" Tenten inquired when he made to rub at his tired eyes again.

A nod of reassurance was the only reply she received before the insect master straightened his posture to look up at her through the flames. She smiled back at him in greeting, causing the usually stoic leaf-nin to pause for a moment at the image. Suddenly all the minor problems that had consumed his thoughts before weren't as important while his heart filled with an all too familiar feeling that had haunted him for years whenever she was around.

There was no question in his mind that he was attracted to the surnameless girl and had been for a long time. But there was the problem of committing his feelings into something that seemed to be as fleeting as the life of a butterfly. Much like love, a butterfly was beautiful and cherished for what it brought to the world. But he had seen love treated as nothing more than just a passing thought as well as an endless source of heartache, if his two teammates were any reference.

For years he watched as Kiba quietly suffered the burns of rejection every time Hinata would leave him for the company of the blonde demon carrier of the Hidden Leaf Village. He was sure that the Hyuuga heiress meant no offense by it and doubted that she even knew what she was doing to the Inuzuka pup. To be cast aside so easily without a second thought; Shino feared such an existence, more so than anything else in the world.

"Good," the kunoichi said in response to his nod, her small and thoughtful smile still present, "I was starting to get worried."

Shino discreetly cleared his throat at her quiet declaration, finding it all too uncomfortable to be so close to the kunoichi after hearing her make such a comment. All it did was fuel the rebellious fire within his heart, the one he had fought for years to suppress while it grew and cultivated into something more than it had been in the beginning. His feelings for the weapon mistress had in fact reached far beyond a mere infatuation as they came into contact more often through the years, only serving to add to the growing emotions he felt for her.

"I'll take first watch," Tenten volunteered, breaking the silence that had settled between them.

"We'll put two on each watch," came his orders, his voice retaining its usual monotone edge.

"But the others are exhausted," Tenten insisted, knowing perfectly well that this was a first mission for many on the squad.

Shino made to protest the idea, when a familiar tiny tickle on the fold of his knuckle stopped him from uttering another word. Keiko was finally awake, and she was making her opinion known, at least to him. The young Aburame heir loved his small friend with all his heart, but there were times where he wished that she would simply cease in playing his matchmaker. Pushing him towards the older kunoichi had become a hobby of sorts for the black and red insect, gaining an inch of progress every now and then as the years passed.

_Fine_, he finally agreed, begrudgingly giving in to her demands once again, knowing that he could hardly refuse anything the little lady bug requested.

"I'll stand watch with you, then," he announced softly.

"Are you sure you're up to it?" the leaf-kunoichi questioned with concern, "You used up a lot of chakra before."

Shino gave a short nod once again in affirmation, reassuring the older kunoichi that he was perfectly capable of aiding in the first watch of the night. He secretly frowned behind the collar of his jacket when Keiko started buzzing with excitement at prospects of her master spending the night with the woman of his dreams, but quickly smoothed out the gesture when he found Tenten watching him carefully from her side of the fire.

"…I guess I'll go tell the others, then," she said softly, throwing in another piece of wood before getting up from her seat.

Dusting herself free of dirt, the weapon specialist headed off to assign the shifts and partnering up the rest of the team, only sparing her commanding officer a fleeting glance before going about her business. She trusted that Shino would have no objections to her decisions, especially since he seemed to have no objections against her going. Unbeknownst to Tenten, such a thing would be unnecessary; Shino planned on standing watch the entire night.

"What are you trying to do to me, Keiko?" the young Aburame asked rhetorically to his six-legged friend as she crawled about his hand.

Rather than listen to her reply, Shino turned his attention to Tenten as she walked about the tents informing the others to rest up for their shift. All the while, she kept a careful eye on the bug master, still concerned about his health after expelling such a great amount of chakra that not only sustained him, but his small friends as well. After all, pride was something all the shinobis in Konoha had in common, if her two teammates were any indication.

"Well, that's done," the kunoichi stated as she sat back down in front of the fire, "We'll wake up the next shift in about four hours."

Tenten reached over for another piece of wood she had gathered earlier to feed to the fire, poking at the remains to keep the cinders burning. It was only then that he noticed the blood on the torn sleeve of her shirt, frowning a little at what he saw. The stain looked larger than it did when they had first stopped. As if she were reading his thoughts the kunoichi pulled out a small first-aid kit from one of her many scrolls and proceeded to unhook the top clasps of her shirt, exposing the injured area in order to properly clean the wound. The alcohol that needed to be applied to sterilize the cut stung a bit more than Tenten remembered, but was of little concern to her as the kunoichi moved to attempt the actual wrapping of the bandages. Personal experiences told her that such a task would be harder with only one arm available, as the other one needed to remain still for the gauze to be secured correctly.

Shino watched Tenten carefully as she struggled with the task, finally deciding to help her in the end when the kunoichi resorted to holding one end of the gauze with her teeth (and after some coaxing from Keiko). Wordlessly, the insect manipulator moved to sit down beside her and took the roll of bandages from her hand. He proceeded to wrap the wound before she could say a word in protest against it, ignoring the mass amount of contact he was having with her heated skin. The young Aburame was only glad that Tenten did not possess an enhanced sense of hearing; otherwise she would take notice of the quickening beat of his heart. He was especially thankful for the cover of night as it did well to hide the light hue of pink that was slowly burning up the edges of his ears.

"…Thanks," Tenten said appreciatively when he had finished, nervously flashing her usual smile.

"It could be poisoned," was all that he said in reply, turning to the fire burning before them, "Have it checked when we get back."

"…Right," the kunoichi stated in response, doing well to ignore the awkward feeling she felt at being brushed aside so easily, "Of course, captain."

Cautiously, Shino slid his gaze to the agitated lady bug crawling about his hand, softly reprimanding him for the missed opportunities that were presenting themselves to the young insect master. Sighing at the matter, he decided to let Keiko continue her small rant for now. Any conversation between the two of them would have to wait until Tenten was well out of earshot. He knew the little bug meant well and only wanted the best for her master; for such devotion to his happiness, Shino would always cherish his longtime friend above all others. But her persistence was beginning to wear even on his seemingly endless patience.

"…Thank you for saving me before, too," Tenten stated, breaking him out of his mental dealings.

"Hn," was the bug master's only response, keeping his eyes locked on the scene before him in hopes of forgetting exactly how close they were sitting beside each other.

"We…work well together," the kunoichi continued on, her arm casually brushing against his, "Your insect wall and my flying projectiles were the perfect mixture of offense and defense."

"…Indeed," the young Aburame agreed, realizing the truth of that statement for the first time.

He had been too wrapped up in the squad's overall performance and the disappointment that had followed to notice it before, such was the level of focus he had to maintain during an assignment as the commanding officer. But now that his thoughts were free to roam on the idea, Shino recalled how her weapons sliced soundlessly through the air alongside his multi-legged minions. It was like an artful dance that their two skills had created together; the embodiment of everything that she represented in his mind.

_A perfect union, both deadly and beautiful, _Shino mused to himself as he stole a glance at the kunoichi out the corner of his eye, _Just like us_.

It was then that he finally realized what Keiko had known all along, why the little lady bug had been working so hard to help her young master, even at the risk of annoying him. He was in love, madly and deeply in love with Tenten. And much like everything else he did, Shino knew that he would always feel this way about her, such was the way of his heart. It was only a question of whether she felt the same, something he was not yet ready to do for fear of her answer.

"…We should…team up more often," the kunoichi commented, methodically tossing in another piece of wood into the fire.

"…Indeed," Shino agreed, finally taking notice of the light shade of pink dusted in her cheeks as she avoided his gaze.

_But…maybe love is worth the risk_, he mused, allowing a genuine smile to briefly form on his lips.

Finally finding the courage to meet his eyes, Tenten looked away from the flames for a moment to gaze up at her commanding officer and simply smiled as she had always done. I was a gesture Shino was not unfamiliar with and had always stood as a silent comfort for him when things weren't going as planned. There were times when he found himself missing it during missions, his mind constantly bringing up the image when he was subjected to the silence of the night during his watch.

_Yeah, it's definitely worth the risk_, the insect master thought, firmly set in that belief.

"Tenten?" he called out softly to her, straightening his back into a proper posture.

"…Yes Shino?" the kunoichi questioned curiously, shocked that he had been the one to break the silence this time.

"I have…a question," came his response, still rather hesitant as his nerves worked against him.

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**Next Month's Theme:** What's This?


	17. The Mistletoe Effect

**Theme:** What's this?

**Pairing:** GaaTen

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**The Mistletoe Effect**

Deep-set ebony eyes gazed deep into ivory ones, joining together in a timeless moment as each one reflected the love of the other. Callous hands worn from hours of hard work in the sweltering sun raised up to caress a smooth cheek, still untouched by the scars of battle that so many had fallen victim to. She smiled softly at the touch and the rare feeling of his skin brushing against her own. A light blush settled in when the kunoichi realized what it was they were about to do, but still she waited in quiet anticipation for him to make the first move, as it had always been.

Needing no signal other than a simple twinkle in her eyes and an assuring smile, the shinobi leaned in and captured her lips in a chaste kiss, not their first and certainly not their last. Her eyes involuntarily slid close to quietly revel in the feeling of his love. It was over as quickly as it had begun, but still the heat and passion behind it lingered, serving as a reminder of his unsaid affections. Her cheeks burned red with embarrassment as she finally remembered that they had a very captive audience.

Tenten smiled from where she stood across the room, watching like everyone else was as Lee and Hinata gave in to the tradition and shared a kiss under the mistletoe. They had only been its latest victims in a long line of casualties that night. The predicament that pitted Shikamaru and Sakura under said sprig-leaf was particularly interesting, but none could top the twin blushes from Ino and Kiba as they fell prey to the season. Knowing full well how traditional the eldest of the sand siblings could get around this time of year, the leaf-kunoichi made it a priority to steer clear from the main entryway where clusters of mistletoes were hung over the arch, reserving herself to using side doors she had to leave the room.

_Customs and rituals are fine and all, but I'd rather not subject myself to THAT tradition_, the weapon mistress thought warily to herself.

With a drink in hand, the leaf-kunoichi averted her attention to the rest of the room. As expected, the grand hall where the holiday banquet was being held had been filled to the brim with elected officials and diplomats from a majority of the shinobi nations in the region, all decked out in their seasonal best for the benefit of showing off their financial stability. Tenten couldn't help but scuff at the blatant show of the collective power and pride on display. Having been brought up in a modest home, the kunoichi never could understand the allure of boasting about one's well-being in front of those who could hardly afford such lavish lifestyles.

The celebration had been a sudden diplomatic suggestion from Temari in order to assure the trust of all of Sunagakure's allies in the upcoming war that was expected to break out, inviting everyone that belonged in the Kazekage's social circle to join in on the village's festivities. The precession of representatives had lasted for days from what she had heard, bringing the small desert village into an uproar as they prepared to host the extravagant gathering. Considering the short amount of time they had to organize the planning, the sand siblings had managed to pull together all the details in time for the main event of the Holiday Festival in Sunagakure. Tenten could attribute most of that to Temari's endless effort in guaranteeing that the Sand Village's newly appointed Kazekage made a exceptional impression. The other diplomats already questioned his abilities, not only because of his shady past, but for his young age as well. Doubt was something the Sand Village could not afford, especially with the decline in their economic status after their brief alliance with Otogakure a few years prior.

_Of course, the fact that baby brother is the new Kazekage might have something to do with it_, she pointed out with a smirk.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself," a familiar voice deep voice that had filled her younger days.

"As much as one can in an upper-class gathering such as this," Tenten responded without missing a single beat.

Pivoting around and stepping aside to avoid bumping into a rather important looking official and his wife as they danced their way around the room, Tenten found herself face to face with none other than Hyuuga Neji, her teammate and longtime friend. She greeted him with her usual smile, a gesture that he returned in his own fashion as the two settled down at the bar side by side as they had done for many years now.

"It's almost enough to put the parties at the mansion to shame, don't you think?" the Hyuuga clan prodigy inquired while glancing around at the other guests, keeping a light air to his tone.

"I should have known you would manage to find me, Neji," the kunoichi commented with a shake of her head, glancing back down at her drink.

"The Byakuugan does come in handy on occasion," the young Hyuuga prodigy responded nonchalantly with a shrug.

Tenten couldn't help but chuckle a little at his understated comment, knowing full well that the Byakuugan had saved their lives and the lives of countless others on several occasions. Sarcasm was certainly a friend to Hyuuga Neji despite the fact that he had been accused of possessing no sense of humor at all by most of the shinobis in Konoha.

"Enjoying yourself?" Tenten inquired, sitting back in her chair to better view her surroundings in a more neutral position.

"You know how I feel about these kinds of things," the clan prodigy replied, taking the opportunity to grab a sake glass from a passing tray, "I'd prefer not to be here at all."

"But because you're a representative of the Hyuuga clan, you have to be here, I know," the kunoichi recited from memory, having heard the excuse several times before, "But that doesn't mean you can't at least try to have some fun while you're here."

"You mean like you, huddled in the corner away from everyone?" Neji effectively retorted, lifting his drink up to take a quick sip.

"…Touché, Hyuuga," was Tenten's simple reply, finding that she had no choice but agree because of the truth behind his words.

Thin brows furrowed together at being caught by her own words, a feat few had ever managed to do because of how meticulous the weapon goddess was about practicing what she preached. But as all humans are, she was not perfect, even though she held herself to a very high standard. And the simple fact of the matter was that after years of being the shadow that she was, Tenten had grown accustomed to the more anti-social nature of the shinobi life as her mind worked to ignore the instincts to stay alert and out of sight.

"You know, there's something to be said about taking your own advice, Tenten," the Hyuuga clan prodigy added before pushing back his stool, "Now if you'll excuse me."

Nodding his goodbye to the kunoichi, the proud Branch house member left before she could say a departing word in return. With nothing left to do besides returning her attention back to the drink in her slender hands, Tenten watched as her esteemed teammate weaved his way around the crowding people to join up with the rest of the Konoha shinobis gathered near the main entrance. There stood Hinata and Lee at the very center getting all of their attention for the open display of endearment under the mistletoe earlier. Even Neji, who years before would have spent the duration of the night chasing the taijutsu user around the ballroom for such an intimate act towards the heir to the Hyuuga clan, seemed pleased with their obvious show of affections for each other.

Dipping a slender finger into the sparkling liquid, she traced around the rim of the glass to produce a clear and steady sound that rose above the even chatter milling about her, doing well to quiet the growing doubts and concerns trapped in the corners of Tenten's mind. There had been times before where such occasions that had been held to promoted peace were used as a diversion to some underlying plot meant to disrupt the alliance that had been set up among the five reigning shinobi nations. And each time had only resulted in more pain and degradation for everyone. Cloud, Sound, and Sand had already fallen prey to such temptations, all during peacetime and using a distracting event to mask their true intentions.

Sliding out of her stool and abandoning her empty glass at the counter, the kunoichi began wandering about the ballroom in order to avoid further encounters with her peers, slowly making her way towards the side door for a discreet escape. The kunoichi had made her appearance, and would be content with spending the rest of the evening indulging in her own solitude much like she had always done in the years before her friendship with the sand siblings had formed.

"They just don't get it," Tenten mumbled quietly to herself, "It's always been like this."

Another roar of laughter stopped the steel goddess in her tracks as the sound rang through the hall, peaking her interest for just a moment as Tenten glanced back at the main entryway. She couldn't help but smirk at the smug look on Kankuro's face as he boasted on about his most recent conquest, knowing perfectly well that the elder sand-nin's blatant confidence was only a mask to hide his own secret insecurities. After being in a relationship with him for the few months that she did, the kunoichi had learned a thing or two about the way he worked. And while his charms could chip away at the hardened walls encasing every girl's heart, the puppet master had a problem with commitment that would hinder all attempts at a lasting relationship.

"I still don't understand some of these…traditions," came a well recognizable toneless voice, startling the leaf shinobi from her hushed musings.

Quickly regaining her composure, the leaf-kunoichi let her gaze hesitantly slide to the left where the she was faced with the intimidating presence of the young village leader, better known to his former opponents as Sabaku no Gaara. Her efforts of trying to avoid running into him all night had been in vain. Taking slow steps in his direction, Tenten settled into her defeat with all the grace that could be manage.

The white of his Kazekage robes shone brightly under the light of the lanterns that littered the dimly lit hall, accentuating the blue trim and matching sash draped across his chest. Standing solid as he leaned against the frame of the archway with his arms resting immovably by his sides, the young sand shinobi glanced in her direction before returning his attention to the puppet master's antics across the room. The sight was entrancing, distracting the better part of the older shinobi's common sense for a moment before she shook the thought away.

"What's not to understand?" the kunoichi responded to his previous statement, "Any two people who get caught under the mistletoe together have to kiss each other, simple as that."

"And the point would be?" Gaara inquired further, keeping a flat and uncaring tone.

"You're guess is as good as mine," Tenten admitted with a shrug, furrowing her brows slightly at the thought as she stood beside him, "All I know is I'd rather avoid the Mistletoe Effect and such similar situations all together."

"The…Mistletoe Effect?" the young sand-shinobi recited slowly, making apparent his confusion on her choice of words as he turned fully to face her.

"Heh, don't ask," Tenten replied with a chuckle, "I'd rather save you from that notion."

"…Very well," Gaara responded after a brief pause to debate on whether or not he should pursue the matter further.

Relieved that the young Kazekage had left the matter at that, Tenten allowed a ghost of a smile to grace her lips. She had no qualms about explaining the unmistakable truth of how the mistletoe worked and the effect it seemed to have on all if its victims. Years of observations have shown that those who feel under the 'spell' of the holiday mistletoe seemed to feel obligated to explore the possibility of a relationship after sharing one random kiss. More often than not, the attempt lasted longer than the relationship itself.

Though he had spent almost the entirety of his life in blissful ignorance to human emotions aside from the need to destroy and kill, Tenten could expect Gaara to understand the logic in reaching that conclusion. That was not the source of her hesitance. It was the undeniable possibility of those involved in the exchange already having deep emotions for each other that had stopped her from speaking further on the matter.

_Sort of how things are between us_, she thought admittedly, sneaking a glance at the young Kazekage out the corner of her eye.

In such a situation, a seemingly meaningless kiss would open the floodgates to repressed and ignored emotions that both parties had kept locked away. For years, Gaara and Tenten had existed in a comfortable arrangement of support and understanding that neither could seem to find elsewhere. But somewhere in between distant acquaintances and where they stood now, the two of them had developed something more that moved beyond friendship or anything else that could be considered as so. Tenten had came to the realization that one day during a sandstorm as they stood huddled against the side of the house, sharing the functions of Gaara's sand shield to stay protected from the harsh winds. When the reclusive sand-nin had reached the same conclusion she could only guess. No matter; it had been wordlessly agreed upon that the subject was never to be discuss. Avoidance was key in maintaining what little was left of their unaffected friendship.

"Well, well, what's this we have here?" called an all too pleased call from the eldest of the Suna siblings, sending foreboding chills up Tenten's spine, "Our next two victims?"

"Victims?" Gaara responded flatly in his usual manner, sparing his sister a glance as he quirked an invisible brow at her statement.

Rather than giving a verbal response (because wordless taunting was so much more fun), Temari pointed a slender finger upwards to something over their heads. Following the line of the pale digit, the steel mistress looked up to find herself standing under the dreaded holiday mistletoe…alongside Gaara. Stunned speechless at the thought, Tenten could only stand there watching as her companion processed the information in his mind. The expression on the young Kazekage's face could only be called shocked as his black-ringed eyes widened just a fraction at the revelation of what his dear sister had done and the position she had now put them in.

"Hey everyone," Temari called out to the entire hall, "Look what I found."

Years of purposeful neglect and feigned ignorance to their growing attachment to each other had been thrown out the window in mere seconds; all laid out in public for the world to see. Attention was something Tenten had never really formed a preference to, having been overlooked for so many years of her life. She had grown accustomed to stepping aside and allowing others to shine, disappearing into the shadows where she was most comfortable. So when the brunette found herself the focal point of everyone's interest, the kunoichi could not help but fidget a little under their intense gaze. Gaara did not seem to fair any better under their scrutiny and appeared just as eager to get out of the spotlight as she did.

"You know the tradition, Tenten," came Ino's cheerful tease, "Anyone caught under the mistletoe together have to - "

"I know, Ino," the older kunoichi said curtly, "We were just getting to that."

Experience told her that in such situations it was best to move quickly and have it over with before there was any chance to think about it. So with the speed that was expected from any student of Maito Gai, Tenten leaned in and gave the unsuspecting Kazekage a light kiss on his pale cheek. The kunoichi felt him flinch under her lips, too stunned to question the absence of his sand shield that would normally protect him from sudden movements towards his body.

And just as quickly she was lost in the crowd of party-goers, slipping away before anyone had time to react like the ghost that she had always been. A lingering tingle on her lips and a warming sensation in her palm from when she had touched him were all that the weapon goddess had to remember the encounter, ensuring that the brief kiss actually did happen and was not something she had imagined. Tenten could feel her cheeks burn at the memory of feeling the softness of his skin while years of fond memories flashed through her mind.

"…I should've never told Temari about the Mistletoe Effect," Tenten mumbled to herself, slowly tracing a finger along her lips.

Glancing back at the entrance where her friends were still standing in awe of her disappearing act, the leaf-kunoichi caught the attention of the young leader of Sunagakure as their eyes locked together for a brief moment. All the words that needed to be said reflected in their eyes while a silent debate conducted between them. Both knew and understood that had been a moderately manageable camaraderie had disappeared into the night following their brief kiss.

There was only one question left on both of their minds: _What happens now? _

---------------------------------------------------

**Next Month's Theme:** Alpha and Omega


	18. Trapped in Your Legacy

**Theme:** Alpha and Omega

**Pairing:** None

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Trapped in Your Legacy**

- _Soft footsteps along the long dirt road to their destination; a somber silence filling the whole of their hearts. Evening light seemed devoid of color as the grey of the atmosphere settled in our souls, adding to the solemnity. Today was the day they would bury one of the dead as they had done for several years ever since the making of the village. Another loyal agent of the village would be honored for their selfless duties to the citizens of Leaf. It would never get easier to say goodbye, always harder. Empty words of sentiment tossed around like a child's plaything, never to be taken seriously and only there to entertain the fleeting thought of comfort. It was always hard to say goodbye…but nearly impossible when it was a beloved member of your family._ -

Deadly accuracy not seen in any of the surviving shinobi nations allotted me the title of prodigy during my Academy days, coupled with a natural talent for wielding any and all tools of mass destruction. I suppose that was the reason why I had been placed to learn under Maito Gai where there housed a genius of taijutsu as well as the top-ranked rookie of our class. Greatness would be expected of our squad, not only from our exuberant teacher but from the others as well. As a part of a prominent family in Konoha, there was pressure on me to succeed and excel, especially when one of your predecessors had served a great many years as the Third Hokage of the village.

Learning of my grandfather's greatness in the Academy only added to the pressure of living up to his prowess. Ultimately, knowing of his past only made it harder for me to accept my easy loss at the hands of Temari from the Sand Village; because not only did I let my team down, but my family as well. Uncle Asuma assured me that the family's honor was still in tact despite my failure, but as things go, sometimes it's hard to listen to what you're told until you start believing it yourself.

_Well, looks like another loss to Kakashi-san for Gai-sensei_, I thought bitterly as I shifted into a more difficult stance.

Personally, I thought Gai-sensei's decision to delay our entrance into the Exams had to do with Kakashi-san and the supposed rivalry that existed between the two of them. It was like he was waiting for the Copy-nin to finally pass a team so that he could pit us against them in a personal competition. After all, what fun is a rivalry if it cannot be passed down to the next generation? I've since come to realize that everything Maito Gai does is a competition, mostly against himself in order to prove that he's worthy to be called a high-ranking Jounin of the Konoha elite…and maybe to be called our teacher as well.

- _Brown strands of hair escaped from their ribbon-bound prison as I turned to glance at my team, staying close by in comfortable silence but keeping enough distance to suit my need for space…most of them in any case. Only a few feet away strolled Maito Gai, taking a moment to place a fatherly hand on my shoulder. Gone were the long speeches of youth and flashy gestures, lost to the winds as a more reserved side took control. Smiling with reassurance, he gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze before facing forward for the long road ahead. A year under his guidance, enduring wild outbursts and flamboyant displays of affection alongside Rock Lee, and it was only now that I finally saw the true endearing quality of my teacher._ -

But even after a year of waiting and training, this had been the best I could do; eliminated during the preliminaries when I had to rely on my own skills and talents to succeed. I had a reputation to uphold and maintain, charged with the responsibility of representing my family as well as my team in the Chuunin Exams…and I had failed miserably. No amount of encouragement and inspirational speeches could erase the mark I had made upon my self-esteem, although the better half of my team made a great attempt. But such a notion could only be solved when I actually started to believe in the words they preached.

_I won't fail again_, was my determined vow, _I will never let the family down again_.

Muscles strained and stretched to hold on to the position a little while longer, my thighs and calves burning for release. A bead of sweat trickled down the side of my face, the chill wind breezing in through the open window doing little to cool my overheating body. I did my best to fight off the pain with clenched teeth, but my limbs were still recovering from all the endurance I had done the day before. That was what my time had become since my elimination in the preliminaries, trapped and caged within the four walls of my hospital room until my injuries healed. They had not been as severe as some, but precautionary measures were always taken when a member of the Sarutobi clan was involved.

Training had been the most logical solution to make up for my failure, both to my teammates and my family. But because the medic-nins had constrained me to my room for the duration of my stay, I was forced to focus on low damage tactics. The last thing that I needed was to spend more time confined inside the walls of the hospital under the care of persistent nurses who would resort to drastic measures in order to ensure that I remained cooperative. Such treatment was expected for a family member of the Hokage.

Unable to hold to the stance any longer, my knees gave in to the pressure and I collapsed onto the ground with a barely audible slap of skin against linoleum. A curtain of black locks framed my view as my eyes stared at pale hands poised in front of me on the tiled floor. The muscles in my legs were still trembling, screaming their protest to such strenuous exercises. But still it wasn't enough, not for me.

_Lee's starting to rub off on me_, I mused thoughtfully, smiling at the irony of the idea.

"I don't think the nurses would be happy to know what you've been doing in here," came an all too familiar voice.

"You know me, grandfather," I retorted with an impish grin, "Nothing can keep me down."

- _Thin fabric ruffled against chilled skin, dancing in the breeze of the dreary afternoon. Walking hand in hand with one too young to truly understand the concept of death, I held my head up high for Konohamaru's sake and fought the tears that threatened to fall. He needed me to be strong. Prideful honor and compassion had been a family trait we all shared, driving us to do all that could be done to ensure that our precious people were safe. Injury, pains, torture, death; they were all worth enduring for the sake of their security. Nothing brought him greater joy than protecting those he cared about. For the first time in my life, I wished he had been more of a coward._ -

"That may very well be, but what good will it do you if you can't walk afterwards?" the elder shinobi pointed out.

"Uh…yeah," I regrettably agreed from where I was stranded on the floor, sheepishly scratching at my arm, "Heh, good point."

He flashed me an amused smile from where he stood by the hospital door, lifting the edge of the Hokage hat to reveal the rest of his overshadowed face. I grinned in return at the sight of his familiar tanned face, spotted with signs of age that usually went along with a well-lived life. But despite the years, he still had the strength and prowess of his younger days when he had been the Sandaime, a force of diplomatic greatness that only paused with his retirement. He decidedly retook the position again after circumstances took the Fourth away into the next realm…along with my father. Despite the morbid undertones associated with the thought, it would always give me a burst of pride think that my father could be speaking with such a person on the other side.

"So what are you doing here, grandfather?" I inquired as he casually strolled over and held out a hand for me to take, "Don't you have official village business to attend to concerning the Chuunin Exams?"

"As the current Hokage of the village, don't you think I would manage to find a little time to spend with my only granddaughter?" he retorted as he flashed a mischievous smirk and a wink, reminiscent of his former youth.

Returning the gesture, I took a tight grip of his hand and pulled myself up into his waiting arms, relying on his continual strength from keeping me from meeting with the floor again. Still a bit wobbly on my strained legs, I slung an arm over his shoulders, ultimately knocking off the official Hokage hat from his head. True to the kind of person that he was, my grandfather made no move of noticing the action as he wrapped an arm around my waist and helped guide me back to the hospital bed across the room.

"Ah, I see I wasn't the only person to visit you today," he commented, glancing at the vase of flowers by the window as I eased myself onto the mattress and slipped under the covers.

"Yeah, Uncle Asuma came by earlier before heading out to help prepare Shikamaru for the Third Rounds of the Exams," I confirmed, smiling thoughtfully at the rainbow of colors illuminated under the sun's rays, "They look nice, don't they?"

"They bring a certain joyful mood to the room, yes," my grandfather agreed before the cheerful smile lessened into a slightly more serious expression, "But I would think a Jounin of his caliber could afford to buy a complete dozen for his niece."

"Oh, he did buy a dozen," I corrected with good cheer, knowing perfectly well where the missing bud had ended up, "But he took one and made a comment about it being reserved for somebody else."

"Hm," the older man scoffed, stepping up to look out the window pane, "I can only imagine who."

- _Birds chirped in the distance as the precession entered through the gates, accompanying the sound of strings being delicately plucked by nimble and skilled fingers. The slow melody floated across the expanse of the cemetery, complimenting the somberness that consumed everyone's mind. It seemed to call out to the loneliness that settled in my soul, wrapping the harmonic notes around broken pieces as it attempted to put everything back together. Who would have ever guessed that Kurenai was so good at playing the koto? Then again, all kunoichis had been taught an array of skills that would allow them to blend in with local cultures and take on traditional roles that had been placed upon their sex generations before, including musical talents and entertainment purposes._ -

"You think he'll ever get the nerve to tell her the truth?" I inquired, seeing distant memories of two very adult Jounins acting so childishly shy as they walked the quiet path through the woods clear in my mind.

"I would like to believe he will eventually," the aged man replied, casually glancing to the side at me, "After all, it's never polite to keep a woman waiting."

"Does he know that?" I scoffed playfully at my uncle's expense.

The man known to all the villagers as the Sandaime merely chuckled in response, closing his eyes to the world outside to join me in a brief moment of merriment at the minor insult to my uncle's knowledge concerning the opposite sex. Shadows shifted and molded along the contours of his face as his body moved in quite mirth, changing his old features and smoothing out the faint wrinkles among the more defined ones to give him a younger look. He was a man that had seen and survived many things thus far in his reign among the living, including brutal wars and devastating betrayals as well as the ever fearful encounter with the Kyuubi more than a decade ago. The courage that still resided in him was something to be admired…but a great pain to live up to.

"You seem to be doing well," the elder man commented, turning away from the window to give me his full attention, "Aside from the minor injuries from you're impromptu training methods, of course."

"Yeah," came my tentative response, still a bit apprehensive in his presence after what had happened during the preliminary matches, "The nurses have been very helpful in my recovery."

"That's good to hear," was all he said, sounding like the ever loving grandfather that I had grew up knowing.

All the while my gaze wandered around the room, trying hard to avoid looking at him until finally it settled on the rough cloth of the hospital blanket that gathered in my lap, worn with time but still functional enough to be used for the temporary patients that came and went on a daily basis. Nervously pale digits fidgeted mostly out of habit at the silence that followed, filled only by the sound of thick fabric rustling as the Third Hokage shuffled around to idly rearrange the flowers with the same care and attention he put into all of his actions. On the outside, such a sight would only appear to be nothing more than the minor indulgence of an aging man. But I knew him too well to ever believe a lie like that. He was stalling for time.

_Still so observant_, I mused thoughtfully, a gentle smile creeping across my dry lips, _You haven't lost your touch, old man_.

Despite all that he had gathered from my uncharacteristic behavior, still the man known as the village's Sandaime said nothing to urge me in my intentions. Unlike most that I knew, he was never one to rush things, always taking a slow and steady pace with his endeavors when time was allotted to deal with them properly. A show of patience and understanding were qualities that had been the foundation to his previous reign as Konoha's leading shinobi, paving the way while he set to build on those years in order to maintain the peace and prosperity that had settled on the village for many years now.

- _Short blades of grass scraped along the exposed skin of my toes as the precession continued down the long road towards his final resting place, set to be entombed with the few other noble Leaf agents that had managed to leave something of themselves behind. It was always a fortunate stroke of luck and providence that a shinobi's death would render any remains at all let alone an entire body to bury. The hallowed grounds of the cemetery was littered with empty caskets, slowly rotting and deteriorating like the missing corpses they were to symbolize. As morbid a thought as it was, I was glad to be able to hold his cold and lifeless hand one last time before they shut the doors to his life in this plane of existence; descending down into the dark pit that would pave the way to his afterlife. With him went the golden age of tranquility he had brought to the village in his long years of service, ushering in what promised to be a hard path ahead for all of us. _-

"Grandfather," I finally managed to softly call out, my courage still nervously wavering with shame under his attention, "I'm sorry…for failing the family."

"Nonsense," the old man replied in the softest of tones, much like a true grandfather would in such a situation, "You made me proud."

"But I lost," came my gently retort, confused at how such a humiliating defeat could make anyone feel that way, "How could you be proud of that?"

"You tried your best," the Sandaime stated as if it would answer all my questions, "That's all anyone can ask for."

"A lot of good that did me," I scoffed, my eyes fixed on the tranquil scene that could be viewed outside of the window.

With a quiet sigh, he shuffled across the expanse of the room to finally pick up his long discarded hat. Disheartening glances tinted with alarm at my failing confidence could be felt as I looked out the window, at the far wall, anywhere that weren't his eyes. His kind words of encouragement would always hold a special place in my heart as they were a rare presence in my position and profession. It was a secret truth that kunoichis had to practically work three times as hard to gain the same merit as their male counter parts. The age-old belief that women could never account for the strength that men possessed was still a lingering obstacle, even in this modern day.

But even thoughtful sentiments from one so cherished could not easily cut through the self-doubt that had grew in my mind. Hours had been spent training with both Lee and Neji, seeing how much they had improved through time while my skills remained at a constant. One hundred percent accuracy was in my possession upon my graduation from the Academy; there was not much I could improve on. Perfection was a hard mistress to please. And even with that, along with all the strategies and all the weapons in the world, I still loss to her: Temari of the Sand Village.

"An extra year to train and still the best I could do was to be beaten in ten minutes by a girl from Suna with a giant fan," was my mumbled comment, laced with bitterness, "Pathetic."

"Do you truly believe yourself to be of so little worth?" the family patriarch inquired, his brows furrowing upward with concern.

"How could I not?" came my whispered reply, believing every word and sentiment implicated by the statement, "My time in these exams is over before it barely had a chance to start."

"My dear Tenten," my grandfather called softly to me from where he stood in the middle of the room, "Haven't I taught you better than that?"

Still consumed with my shame for my poor performance during the Exams unable to face him just yet, I kept my gaze off to the side, focused on the intricate patterns melded within the tiled flooring of the hospital room. My breath hitched softly at the sound of his soft footsteps, marking his slow approach to the bed and me. As the shadow of his form became more prominent in the edges of my vision, a feeling of dread and sorrow steadily crept into the dark recesses of my heart, finally stilling when the mattress dipped under his weight. Having known his unfailing character for all the years that I had, it still amazes me to think back to how fearful I had been of him as the patriarch of the Sarutobi clan took his place by my side and enveloped me in his warmth as he wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulders.

"The end of one possibility is only the beginning of another," the elder of our family said, repeating the same phrase that I had heard so many times while growing up, "When one door closes…"

"…Another one opens?" I finished, reciting the well-known saying from memory.

Deep and dark eyes sparkled with so much admiration as he looked down at me with a loving smile; the smile of one kind and loving to all under his care as it brought an untold reassurance to all who had the privilege of standing witness to it's presence. Even while a little doubt still remained in the back of my mind, I could not stop the corners of my mouth from twitching upwards at him. I could not deny the lifting of my spirit at being so close to his indomitable soul; such as can be expected from the long standing leader of the Hidden Leaf Village I suppose.

"The Chuunin Exams are held twice a year so you'll get another chance soon enough," the village's Sandaime stated further with a brief nod of his head, "And now that you've gained the additional experience, I'm certain you will show them all how brightly you can shine."

"…Thank you, grandfather," was all that I could say as I pulled him in for a loving and appreciative hug, burying my nose into the fabric of his Hokage robes.

"Always remember, the end is just where you start from," he whispered into my ear just before pulling back to caress my cheek with his aged hands, "Promise me that?"

"…I promise," came my whispered oath, "I'll remember."

_- Wheels squeaked with a layer of rust as the wooden casket was slowly lowered deeper and deeper into the ground, finally hitting the bottom with a dull thud. It was a sound that sent shivers through all that gathered there, opening the floodgates to tears long suppressed in his honor. Briefly glancing at the crowd surrounding us, I searched for the missing presence of my Uncle Asuma in vain. I knew he would not come and yet I had still hoped for it. And with him gone, it would be placed upon me to shovel the first mound of dirt back into the ground over his grave, a dying wish for a most beloved leader of the village and of our family. And so with all the strength left within me I took up the metal tool in my grasp, so different from all the ones I was used to dealing with, and slid the crumbling earth solemnly into the hole. It took every part of my will not to crumble and break apart along with it. _

_With a calming sigh that none save those standing closest to me could hear, I took my place back beside my little cousin, pulling him into my side as his body shook with grief. Unable endure the heartache and sorrow any longer, Konohamaru turned to bury his face into my hip in hopes of hiding his weakness as the assigned ANBU agents continued to cover the hole with dirt, encasing my grandfather's remains into their permanent home. _

"_It's alright Konohamaru," I said softly, smoothing out his hair in comfort as he continued to shed unseen tears, "It's like grandfather always said: 'the end is just where you start from.'"_

"_What's that supposed to mean?" came his muffled inquiry, still refusing to show his face until the tears were gone._

"_It means…that we'll see him again, one day," I replied solemnly as my gaze drifted off to the side in thought, a faint smile slowly spreading across my lips, "We just have to wait until the end…" -_

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**Next Month's Theme:** Red and White


	19. Where Your Loyalties Lie

**Theme:** Red and White

**Pairing:** Faint hints of SasuTen with possible interest from Itachi if you squint and look at it real close under a microscope.

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Where Your Loyalties Lie**

Shadows surrounded us once again as the clouds skirted across the sky to cover the moon in its dark haze, snubbing out all source of light in the small clearing. Growing more accustomed to living in perpetual night with each passing day, my eyes quickly adjusted to the lack of illumination as faint outlines of the surrounding trees came into focus. A pair of glowing red Sharingan eyes greeted me from another trunk just on the other side of the clearing, the only indication of where my companion stood. The two of us had been camped out near the clearing for days now, a week exactly by tomorrow's end, and still there had been no signs of our associate. Normally the epitome of patience, Sasuke had moved past weary long ago and seemed on the verge of an explosion of anxiety. After all, it wasn't every day he waited for a meeting with his brother.

"Are you sure this is the place?" the young Uchiha inquired in earnest, draped in the perpetual night of the forest.

"You've asked that every day we've been here," I replied calmly, "The answer is not going to change."

Still unsatisfied with the answer I had for him, he grunted irritably before turning his swirling red and black orbs to make a sweep of our surroundings once more. The conditions were in our favor; the skies had been clear enough to let us move through the trees with relative ease and the sporadic weather had provided the both of us enough time to elude our pursuers, while still allowing the messenger pigeons from Itachi to easily find our location.

"He said we can't become official members until a position is open," the younger of the two brothers informed me, filling in the silence in order to calm his own impatience.

"But the only way that would happen was if someone were to die," I stated, leaning back against the tree trunk, propping a leg up as pale arms folded neatly over my stomach.

"…Exactly," His eyes flared with a glint of red to emphasize the point he was trying to make.

"Tch, ruthless to the core, I see," I scoffed in response, sneering at the thought, "I should have expected that."

"It's what we signed up for when we decided to leave," was Sasuke's casual retort, shrugging his indifference at the thought.

Hazel eyes filled with indecision lowered to stare at the cold ground beneath my feet as thin brows furrowed in thought. Nimble fingers calloused from hours of practicing with the cold steel associated with tools of death fidgeted with the familiar symbol of the forehead protector held in my hands. The symbol so engraved into my life had been worn down over the years, loosing the sparkling luster that had entranced me into undying loyalty for so many years. But the memories were still there as well, evident as my thumb traced along the shallow grooves carved into the steel plating.

"Are you sure joining them is the best course of action?" I pondered out loud, pointing my gaze at my accomplice.

"Where else can we go?" His voice seemed so somber and solemn, almost regretful despite what his outward appearance showed. But being a true child of his clan, Sasuke hardened his heart and instead directed his attention to my own inner turmoil. "You know, if you're having second thoughts, it's not too late to turn back."

"I meant what I said, Sasuke," I responded shortly with a shake of my head, "No arguments, remember?"

"Yeah…I was hoping you'd come to your sense," he commented with a frown. When all he received was a pointed look from me, the young shinobi scoffed with a roll of his eyes, "…Right, I forgot who I was talking to."

Smirking at the familial bickering that had been such a constant comfort in our younger days, I spared Sasiuke a brief glance out the corner of my eye before returning my attention to the line of trees surrounding the clearing, poised and alert to detect any approaching figure that my have been hiding in the dark. It had been a hard decision to finally leave the village for good. But what once was a place for my undying hope and devotion had quickly turned into a place of my dying soul. Constant talks of treaties and alliances that were broken as quickly as they had been formed slowly worn down my optimism until all that remained was the bitterness of reality.

"Even if I did come to my senses, it's a little too late for me to turn back, don't you think?" I countered, managing a playful smirk that I was sure he could see with his Sharingan eyes.

Scoffing at the notion, Sasuke simply shook his head while a small smirk crept across his own lips as well. Despite the issues that had divided us for so many years, ultimately working to erase most of the childhood friendship that we used to have, there was still a lingering innocence in our hearts; distance and disagreements could never make us forget that. Even now, the pieces were falling back into place and the two of us were taking up the roles that had been disregarded ever since the day Itachi decidedly changed all of our lives by killing the majority of his clan.

_I can still smell the blood_, was the thought that flitted through my mind at the memory.

Thin brows twitch at the sudden shift in the atmosphere that surrounded us, feeling an extra weight of something powerful that had not been there before. My head snapped towards Sasuke to confirm my suspicions only to find him already activating his Sharingan eyes and putting it to good use in detecting our new companion. A shimmer of a figure flitted through the branches overhead, too quick for either of us to see even with Sasuke utilizing every aspect of his bloodline limit, sending the both of us into a defensive state of mind as we prepared for an attack.

"You really should be more careful." His voice -- because it was obviously the voice of a man -- was smooth and low as it floated through the air to engulf us both in its sweetness, merely an illusion to hide the true malice that lay dormant within the man's soul. Sasuke and I exchanged a wary glance before continuing to search for our new arrival, still attentive in case the elder had any underlying plan to betray us both. A rush of air and I felt his sudden presence behind me, the cold touch of a steel blade lightly pressing against my neck before either of us had time to react. "You can never tell who might be lurking about at this time of night."

There was no denying the brief moment of panic that rushed straight to my heart at the sound of Itachi's voice, speeding up its steady beating until I could feel it pounding against the walls of my ribcage. This had been the same man who killed his entire clan, save for one person. And both he and I would have been part of the death toll if circumstances had been different. Even now that we were older and more skilled to fight against him, memories of that day as the blood of Uchiha clan members both young and old slicked the floorboards at our feet came rushing back to haunt my waking dreams.

Swallowing down all my fears with a hard gulp, the three of us continued to stand there in perfect stillness as if we were frozen in time for all eternity in the darkness of the clearing while the blade remained poised at the vital vein pulsing in my neck. Sasuke could only watch and wait for the next move to be made, most likely cursing himself for even considering trusting his brother again after all these years. And then, just as suddenly as he had raised the katana against me, the eldest of the Uchiha brothers lowered the deadly weapon to his side where it would do no harm to anyone.

No longer under the pretense of possible death, I quickly stepped away from the eldest of the two brothers and turned to finally face him. Unconsciously my hand went up to lightly press chilled fingers against the curve of my collar bone, only mere inches away from where the blade had rested against my skin. Unable to see through the expanse of darkness that lay between us, I squinted as my eyes worked to quickly adjust to the lack of light in order to spot his shifting figure. The details of his silhouette were hard to distinguish at first, save for the white trim of his garments. But as he stepped out into the clearing where we could at least rely on the muffled light of the moon to guide our movements, his features were made clear, draped in the traditional cloak of his new family of delinquent missin-nins. Red clouds wrapped in a blanket of white swirls, the symbol of the Akatsuki organization; an elite group of criminals that represented all the evil qualities in men. That was all Itachi had become since the day he defiled the sacred Uchiha shrine with the blood of his ancestors…and mine.

"Itachi-san," I greeted in mock respect, still feeling the lingering touch of cold steel against my skin.

"Tenten-san," the elder Uchiha reciprocated with a glance in my direction before turning to give his full attention to Sasuke, "Otouto."

"Aniki," Sasuke greeted in return through gritted teeth, still holding a hint of bitterness in his tone from years of anger, "It took you long enough."

"I had other matters to attend to," was his response, "Just because you wish to join does not mean that I am to shun my duties to the organization."

Twin sets of Sharingans flared in the presence of the other, sending out a challenge in bright red beacons that could no doubt be felt rather than seen for miles. Under normal circumstances, I would have been more than willing to wait out to see the result of the exchange between the two remaining heirs of the Uchiha clan, knowing that their brief staring contests were nothing more than a test of power than a battle of dominance. But there were more important things that needed to be addressed. And with hunter-nins littering the forest in search for us, there was little time to spare.

"Could we not go there, now?" I stated, breaking through their silent war by stepping into their line of sight in a poor attempt to separate the two Uchiha brothers, "We don't have time for this."

Gaining what little knowledge I could over the years about the progression and functions of the Sharingan, I knew to avoid looking directly into Itachi's eyes in order to escape the risk of getting trapped in any of his deadly techniques. My gaze only went as far as either their shoulders; avoiding Sasuke's flaring eyes as well in case he had the sudden urge to challenge his brother to a clan battle in the middle of the forest.

"In case you've forgotten, Sasuke, we're on the run," I pressed on further, turning to face the shinobi in order to get his attention, "Test your superficial male egos later when we're not being chased by Konoha hunter-nins."

"She has a point, Otouto," the Akatsuki member agreed, the evenness of his voice matching the calm reverence he seemed to always possess, "Besides, we have preparations to make."

"Preparations?" the younger Uchiha inquired with suspicion.

"You didn't think it would be that easy to join Akatsuki, did you?" Itachi questioned in return, earning a growl of irritation when he continued by finishing the comment with, "Foolish little brother."

That single comment alone was enough to unravel any sort of self control that the young Sasuke had managed to conjure up in the presence of his brother, bringing up years of vengeful hatred that still resided within the younger Uchiha's mind as he lashed out violently to defend his damaged pride. Arms flailing wildly, reaching out to strangle his brother, it took all of my strength and maneuverability advantages over him to keep Sasuke from putting harm on the reserved Itachi who simply breezed past the both of us.

"Just let it go, Sasuke," was all that I said to the short-tempered shinobi, "We can deal with the details and any 'concerns' you have about them later when there's actually time."

"Hn, I can see why you brought her along with you on this journey," Itachi said smoothly, his voice soft and calm as it breezed by my ear, "Then again, I suppose our family does have an affinity to the darker side of life."

With that said, the elder shinobi brushed past us towards the other side of the clearing, no doubt leading us to another location that would be safer and more secure for our dealings. Being one of the top members of Akatsuki, it was no surprise to me that he would know of places where one could simply disappear. Oddly enough though, that was not what bothered me the most about what had just occurred.

"What did he mean by that?" I inquired as we watched him disappear into the forest, referring to the last comment that Itachi made.

"I don't know, but I don't like it," Sasuke replied, pausing a moment before following after him into the night, "Come on, let's go before we lose him."

I watched silently as Sasuke disappeared into the darkness of the forest as well, managing to catch a glimpse of the symbol so etched in the back of his shirt. A white fan tipped with a blazing hue of red that even the shadows could not dim or hide. The symbol of the Uchiha clan; the last remnants of a once prominent family in Konoha before their mass genocide by the hands of the very same person we were allying with now. Up until recently, that had been all Sasuke had left to hold on to since the day his world fell apart. He had every right to hate Itachi until death finally took one of them from this world…but he didn't, at least not now. And with such a revelation standing alongside current circumstances that had lead us all here, I could not help but wonder as I rushed after the two, what would be in store for the three of us in the coming months?

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**AN**: I intended to have so much more happen in this one-shot with added mind-breakable material because of the 'WTF' factor I had planned to include. But the first section took so long to write out and turned out so detailed that I decided to wrap it all up before I missed the deadline for the monthly theme contest I was going to submit this in. I'll go back and expand on it later, I promise.

**Next Month's Theme:** A Dragon's Rising


	20. Where to Start From

**Theme:** A Dragon's Rising

**Pairing:** Hints of NejiTen, hints of ShikaTen

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Where to Start From**

"_What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from." - T.S. Eliot_

- _Death is a part of life just as much as birth; there can be no beginning without an end. My grandfather had taught me that before his own end decided to make itself known. He always said that life was filled with obstacles and that they were meant to test our strength to survive and give purpose to our existence. He, much like most others who knew him, believed that we live to fight for those we are meant to protect…and with a noble leader like the Sandaime as your grandfather, it's hard to argue with him_. -

Feeling the tug of chakra strings against her calf and ankle, Tenten looked up just in time to see the weapons spring into place before the traps were unleashed in the small hallway space. After fighting off the momentary shock and her initial reaction to reach for her own weapons, the kunoichi only had enough time to duck into a nearby room to avoid any serious injuries she would have surely gotten from the assault.

"Konhamaru!" the steel mistress cried from the confines of her bathroom, "What did I tell you about cleaning up after practicing inside the house?"

Soft murmurings muffled by the thick walls that separated the rooms drifted in through the smoke and haze left behind from the discharged weapons as the young shinobi muttered out an apology from the safety of the spare bedroom. Though it had sounded sincere enough from what she could tell, the soft chuckles in between syllables were hard to ignore. Carefully peering around the corner to survey the damage done to her apartment, the kunoichi let out an exasperated sigh as more holes were added to the already growing collection.

"You know, I'm only doing this while Uncle Asuma is gone as a favor and mercy to you," the elder shinobi called out, placing calloused hands worn down from years of use firmly on her hips in irritation,

"He was considering leaving you with Gai-sensei; thought it'd give you more structure."

"He wouldn't dare!" the young Academy student exclaimed as his head popped into the corridor, the lines of his face contorted in horror at such a thought.

Tenten could only smirk at the image while the fruits of her devious plan had slowly planted itself into the mind of the young Academy student. There was no doubt that she loved her little cousin to death -- after the loss of their grandfather years before in the line of duty the two had became rather close through their shared grief -- but as all teenage girls, the kunoichi was not in the business of dealing with undisciplined individuals who would not or could not give her the proper respect that her stationed warranted. Hours of training and preparation after years of disappointing failures had granted her an opportunity to try out for a coveted position in ANBU.

_But I guess I can't really expect him to understand that_, the weapon mistress admitted as an afterthought, _He hasn't even entered and competed in his first Chuunin Exams_.

"Come on Squirt," the kunoichi called, motioning to him with her hand as she completely ignored his concerns, "Lunch is ready."

At the mention of food the young shinobi in training forgot all thoughts of possibly spending his time with the exuberant teacher of his elder cousin, Maito Gai, and rushed off into the kitchen area to pilfer what he could for his midday meal. She made to follow when a knock at the door stopped the kunoichi in her tracks. A fleeting glance back towards the sweet smell of fresh dumplings was all that Tenten allowed herself, turning with regret to see who was keeping her from her meal. Feeling for the kunai hidden in her sleeve out of habit, the steel mistress was mildly shocked to open the door to the white mask of an ANBU agent.

"Miss Tenten?" came the gruff voice of the man hidden behind the bird mask.

"Yes?" she responded, brows furrowing together in confusion as she mulled over the possible reasons why the ANBU would have business with her.

Gloved fingers held out a scroll for her to take, the ANBU agent choosing to let it speak the words that he could not seem to find. Tenten eyed the rolled up parchment for a moment with great scrutiny and suspicion before carefully taking it from his more than willing fingers. With the task of making the delivery done, she had expected him to disappear back into the shadows on his way back to headquarters for another mission that would be better suited for one of his rank. But much to the kunoichi's surprise the masked man remained silently standing at her doorstep, seemingly waiting in earnest for her to read the content of the message.

_This must be really important if the ANBU are involved_, Tenten soon realized when it was clear that the high-ranking ANBU agent would not be leaving until he was sure the message was read, _I'm sure he has better things to do than serve as the mailman_.

Sparing him one last fleeting glance, the sole female member of Team Gai quickly unraveled the scroll and scanned over the words that had been written inside. Callused fingers marked by the long hours spent practicing with the steel weapons of her trade tensed as they gripped onto the scroll while the realization started to settle in, seeping into every dark corner of her conscious until the initial shock finally hit.

"No…" came the kunoichi's soft protest, brows furrowing together as she shook her head in disbelief, "This can't be right."

"I'm afraid it is," the leaf shinobi regrettably confirmed, doing little to ease her pain with his solemn sympathies, "…I'm very sorry for your loss."

"…So am I," the young leaf shinobi responded evenly after taking a moment to compose herself, "Thank you for telling me."

With a nod in departure, the special ANBU agent disappeared with a shimmer and a quick flash of his form, leaving behind a somber young kunoichi as she mulled over the information she had just received. The clink of silverware against porcelain reminded the Chuunin of the younger boy happily dining in the kitchen, completely oblivious to the exchange that had just occurred.

_Uncle Asuma can't be dead_, Tenten thought, still in denial to the news, _But there were witnesses…and the ANBU don't make mistakes_.

Generally a cheerful and optimistic person, there were few things in life that could upset Tenten. But the unexpected death of her grandfather years before, the former Sandaime of Konoha, had been devastating to everyone. This new blow was just too soon to deal with. She was particularly concerned about how Konohamaru would handle the news, having only recently getting over the death of the former Third Hokage of Konohagakure. Three years, she feared, would not be enough time for him to heal and be prepared for this.

"How am I going to break it to him?" the leaf-nin mumbled to herself, glancing in the direction of the small kitchen area.

"Who was at the door, Tenten?" Konohamaru inquired loudly, as if he could tell that she had been thinking of him.

_This is no way to tell him_, Tenten thought with desperation, her hand clenching into a tight fist, _But I have to eventually_.

"...Konohamaru?" she called softly in return, "…There's something I need to tell you."

- _The legends that circle around the village tell both of the glories of victory as well as the grave sacrifices made in battle. We learn from an early age that pain is an extension of life, just as happiness and joy is a part of the wonders the world has to offer. Without it, we could not truly measure the compassion and kindness that resides within a soul. It is what comes with being a loyal agent of your village and the first thing that they tell us about in the Academy. No, there are no lies in the shinobi profession…only deceptions of the truth._ -

"You weren't at the ceremony."

Strands of free flowing hair drifted across the kunoichi's face along with the wind as she glanced back at the source of the voice, only barely catching a glimpse of seemingly colorless eyes staring straight back at her before facing forward once again. The black cloth of his attire did little to flatter his handsome features, merely accentuating the pale complexion that was so common in his family while still retaining the intimidating stare of their bloodline.

"You always had a knack for stating the obvious, Neji," the kunoichi muttered softly to her teammate, unable to keep the somber tone from her voice.

Shrouded in her own set of black funeral robes, Tenten looked to the setting sun slowly sinking into the western horizon. She had had every intention of attending the ceremony upon leaving the apartment that morning, prepared to pay her last respects to the man who played such a pivotal role in the kunoichi's life after the death of her parents. The stop to the training grounds was merely a last minute decision to escape from the hectic and chaotic hum of complete strangers mumbling their condolences, if only for a moment. But as she was walking along the familiar paths across the field in tranquil silence, surrounded by the same blades of grass and trees that had filled her younger days…such comforting images in the kunoichi's time of grief called out to her, keeping Tenten there to deal with the pain alone. And so she had stayed until common sense brought the Hyuuga prodigy there in search for his missing teammate.

"Everyone was wondering where you were," the young Kaiten user stated softly, sounding as if he meant to play on her guilt to learn what he needed to know of her.

"I'm sure they had better things to think about than where I was," the steel mistress countered coldly, imitating the very tools that had been her life since childhood.

In her hand, Tenten clutched a kunai tightly within her grasp, afraid to let it go and thus releasing her hold on the memory of his life. Tattered and tarnished from years of overuse, it had been the very first gift she had received and the only one that had stayed with her through the years as the kunoichi fought to make a name for herself separate from the family. Now it was the most cherished tool in her arsenal.

Lowering her eyes from the line of trees that bordered the training grounds, she watched intently as the tip of her thumb traced along the clan emblem etched in the metal blade. Generations of history and ancestors resided in the timeless symbol of her once prominent clan, now reduced to nothing more than two inexperienced shinobis just struggling to keep from falling apart from the inside out.

_I wonder how Konohamaru is doing_, Tenten thought idly to herself, generally concerned about one of the last remaining member of her family.

"He needed you…" Neji pressed on as if he could hear her thoughts, knowing that there was no need for him to mention who he was referring to.

"…I'm no good to anyone like this," was the kunoichi's somber response as she turned away from the setting sun, finding it too beautiful for her suffering soul.

Shoulders brushed as Tenten made an attempt to step past her teammate in hopes of fleeing the scene to find another place where she could be alone. Pride was something that all shinobis possessed and she refused to be seen in such conditions, especially in front of a higher ranking ninja despite their close friendship. Finding a need to hold her attention for a brief moment, Neji reached out and took a gentle but firm hold of the kunoichi's wrists, ensuring that she would at least stay long enough to hear what he had to say.

"Tenten," he breathed softly, "Why don't you let him decide that?"

Seeing that she had stopped all movements at his words, the young Hyuuga prodigy let his fingers slip away from his teammate's chilled skin. On her own accord, Tenten turned to face him for the first time since he arrived on the field, a portrait of blank emotions decorating her features. If there was one thing he knew well, it was the cold look of detachment from one's humanity. But like most, the truth was held in her chocolate eyes, staring so clearly into his own seemingly pupil-less orbs. They told a story of contained sorrow and pain that cried to be released. But Tenten was as stubborn as she was resilient; he could tell that she was fighting to hold on to every shred of her pride that was left in order to not breakdown at his feet.

"Maybe I'm afraid of the answer," she finally replied, turning away from his all seeing eyes.

"…I've never known you to be afraid of anything, Tenten," the young Jounin commented smoothly.

"And I've never known you to care so much, Neji," the Chuunin mumbled bitterly in reply.

However harsh or unbending the comment had been, he held no resentment towards her for making such a statement; both knew it to be true. The young prodigy had spent a great many of his early years concentrating on his own issues concerning the policies of the Hyuuga clan, believing that his personal goals were more important than anyone else's. Because of the narrow scope Neji had on the world and its importance to his life, the problems that the rest of the team faced were ignored and cast aside; left to be picked up and analyzed when they served a purpose for him. So blinded by her adolescent infatuation, it had taken Tenten too many years to realize the truth of that. The brunette scoffed quietly at the irony; now that she had finally managed forget her idolization of the emotionless genius, he decided to care.

"I promised Lee that I'd make sure you were alright," was his simple reply, shrugging with nonchalantly at the thought, "In any case, you weren't the only one who's absence was noted."

"I wasn't?" the kunoichi questioned with furrowed brows, glancing over her shoulder at him.

"Shikamaru failed to show up as well," her teammate replied, shaking his head at her inquiry.

"…Really?" Tenten inquired, brows furrowing together as she processed the information.

Familiar with how the young Nara functioned, such an act would have been disregarded without a second thought under normal circumstances. But these were not normal circumstances. It was no secret that Asuma had played a major role in Shikamaru's life, both as a teacher and as a friend. Aside from her own family, the news had hit him the hardest, doubly so since he had been one of the few present when her uncle had took his last dying breath.

_Strange, but it's understandable_, the kunoichi supposed, knowing that she would have done the same had she been in his position.

"I can't imagine what might have kept him," Neji continued on, "Can you?"

"Who knows what's going on in his head?" she replied, ignoring the heavy gaze her teammate was boring into the back of her head.

"…Or yours."

- _For most of us, to seek aid from outside forces is a sign of weakness; it comes with the stubborn nature of shinobis. But despite the obvious character flaw, we all know that nothing can be accomplished individually. It was the combined forces of all the leaf agents that saved the village from complete destruction during our first Chuunin Exams. It had been the combined efforts of my friends that brought all who were sent on Sasuke's retrieval mission home quick enough to be mended. And it was the combined support of the entire village that had helped us all move on past the tragedy of losing one of Konoha's greatest leaders. But for some…the stubbornness of the shinobi was just a little too much._ -

Too tired and worn out from the overuse of his chakra, the once lazy genius of the Hidden Leaf Village collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. All the while, she quietly watched him with interest from the sidelines, a ghost of a memory lingering on the very edge of her consciousness. Gripped tightly in his hands were the dark steel of familiar knuckle blades, blinking and fizzling with the dissipation of his chakra control. From what she could determine, Shikamaru had been practicing with Asuma's weapons for hours, perhaps even days; working through the advanced techniques of his former sensei, slowly breaking them down until the move could be perfected.

"You really are a genius," Tenten commented softly, breaking the perpetual silence that had settled in the Nara's backyard, "I think it took Uncle Asuma months to get that far in his training."

Having experience with stubborn prodigies, the kunoichi was not at all effected when her only response was a soft growl of frustration quickly following a fleeting glance of irritation. That was all the attention he would spare her, choosing instead to continue on with his exercises. Admittedly, Tenten was mildly impressed by his determination, returning to her quiet observance with new respect. Her relations with his teacher allotted the kunoichi an occasional glimpse into the lives of Team 10 and its members, particularly the young Nara as he seemed to be the squad's unofficial and unwilling leader. In all the years that Tenten had known him, Shikamaru had never shown such diligence until now; fighting and struggling with all his spirit to learn his sensei's signature jutsu. But as she was beginning to figure out, death usually brought about a lot of changes, even with the strongest of shinobis.

Not quite convinced enough to let the younger shinobi train on his own, Tenten remained to watch his progress a little while longer; ever a watchful presence along the edges of the Nara family's backyard and Shikamaru's conscious mind. Taking mental notes of his form and technique, the kunoichi unconsciously began comparing them to what she could recall of her uncle's training so many years before.

"You know, I can help you with that," the kunoichi offered quietly, noticing the slight difficulty he was having, "I used to watch him practice all the time when I was younger."

Being part of such a prominent family in the shinobi profession, training had been a constant factor in her early years. Never wanting to be idle with her time, the young girl had made a point in watching while other members of the clan trained, soon finding that Sarutobi Asuma along with her grandfather quickly became Tenten's two favorite subjects. Admittedly, she had managed to learn a great deal from watch the two of them, both separately and together, and could attribute her affinity to weaponry as a direct result of her observations during their sessions.

"…No thanks," the lazy genius finally replied, although somewhat hesitantly.

Gripping the knuckle blades in his steadily shaking hands, Shikamaru struggled to keep his chakra control while he went through the motions of the attack once again. Keeping a close eye on him from the sidelines, it was obvious to Tenten that the stress of overexerting himself and his reserves was starting to affect the Nara's mobility. Even now, she could see that the younger shinobi was having difficulties holding up the most cherished weapons while he set up for another attempt at mastering his sensei's move.

_He's not going to last for much longer if he keeps it up_, was the only thought running through the kunoichi's thoughts, watching him struggle to stand up again after each try until he let out an exasperated sigh.

"…Go home, Tenten," he commanded in his usual bored manner, actually taking the moment to glance at her out the corner of his tired eyes, "This is troublesome enough without you standing there."

The more rational and calculative part of him knew and expected that she would leave as he had requested. From what Shikamaru had observed of Tenten through the years, it had been part of her personality to avoid most conflicts whenever necessary. But instead of departing immediately like he had hoped, the weapon goddess simply remained standing there, watching the young Nara from the sidelines. To most, the expression on her face would be described as unreadable, but Shikamaru had spent enough time around her to read the subtle signs; the barely visible lines between her brows told of her annoyance, and the small crease at the corner of her mouth mapped out her disapproval.

It was a rare brand of irritation that the older girl never allowed herself to show or feel, preferring to act peacefully and rationally with others. After all, it was in her nature to be the universal balance and mediator among their generation, so to see her as anything otherwise was a bit unnerving, even to a normally lazy genius like himself. But when the kunoichi refused to voice her concerns and merely chose to continue her critical stare, the younger shinobi could only sigh his own frustrations.

"If you have something to say, Tenten, just say it," he drawled out, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground while he waited for her to make her move.

"…You're not the only one who lost him," she finally responded after a long pause, her voice a sounding a little shaky and unstable from what he could hear.

Pausing for a moment as if to ponder the kunoichi's words, he slowly turned around to face the steel mistress, finding her solid mask wavering for just a moment as deep emotions started to fight through towards the surface. Because of their mutual connection to Asuma, he had been a witness to the rare occasions where the usually reserved and calm kunoichi broke character and showed her true weaknesses.

"Honestly, of all the times for you to decide to be selfish, you choose now?" the kunoichi grounded out bitterly, "After everything he's taught you?"

Her voice shook with what little control that still remained, struggling with the inner demons that were eating her up from the inside. He could see it all; even if he were not a genius, the time that the two had spent together would have been enough to enable him to see it. Within the reflective surface of her eyes, Shikamaru could see the concealed pain.

Tenten had perfected the art of deception long before entering the Academy; something that he suppose was necessary when forced to constantly deal with death at such an early age. Now, with the most recent of losses and the weight of his indomitable spirit still fresh in her heart, Shikamaru was amazed to no end how she even managed to keep up with the façade for this long under the pressure and grief.

"Let someone in," Tenten said softly with a sigh, merely a whispering aftermath of her previous anger as she turned to leave, "It doesn't necessarily have to be me, but…just don't take this on alone."

"…I'll see you tomorrow morning, Tenten," the younger shinobi finally managed to say after his long bout of silence, "At the rate I'm going, I'll never learn it in time for the next mission."

Scoffing her response, the weapon goddess stopped only long enough to give her one-worded reply before moving back into the shadows where she had lived for most of her life. Disappearing so quiet and meek, blending into the background; it was what she did best. And it was what made her so forgettable in all of this. While the entire village had been concerned about the Konohamaru's grief and the change in character he had shown in the wake of Asuma's death, her unshed tears had remained unnoticed except to those few who knew her best.

"And Tenten?" Shikamaru called to her as an afterthought, waiting for her to stop before continuing with his comment, "I'd start taking my own advice if I were you."

- _The old fade and the young linger, that is the way things are and should be. My grandfather knew that and so did my Uncle Asuma. They understood the consequences and risks just as much as we did. But even then, the young still need guidance in order to survive the new age of war that was certain to come. Who do they turn to when there is no one left? Who would be willing and strong enough to take the place of their fallen leaders and teach the new generation of heroes? _-

Blades of grass crunched under her feet as she entered under the archway of the cemetery, making her way through the maze of tombstones ominously glowing in the morning light. Having years of practice, she walked the familiar path towards where all the dead members of her clan laid buried; generations of Sarutobis rested amid the forest of concrete memories housing the lifeless souls of all who had crossed the eternal divide. Dawn had just arrived bringing with it the soft glow of the rising sun over the horizon, casting long shadows over the cemetery as if to bring life to the long forgotten spirits resting beneath her feet.

The quiet that had always settled there was both unnerving and calming, working to both alert her shinobi senses as well as bring ease to her solitude. It was a welcomed comfort to her already erratic mind. And as she knelt down beside the most recent of headstones to be erected, Tenten could not help but give in to the small smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth. Admittedly, it was always nice to sit in the silence of the cemetery, away from busy streets of Konoha so filled with innocent people who knew nothing of the true ways of the world.

Careful and methodically, she worked to brush aside the dirt that had managed to gather and collect in the small crevices, letting her fingers linger over the name engraved into the hard marble. Having witness such truths with her line of work, like most in her profession the kunoichi had grown to cherish all that life had to offer while still remembering those who were no longer with them. But that still did not make it any easier to move on.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there when they…" she began, finding that she could not seem to finish the sentence, "I just couldn't…not like this."

They had stood as strong pillars in her life as well as in the lives of all those they touched, inspiring others to do better and be more than what they could ever hope to be. They were great leaders of their generation, destined to be legends in the history books; forever remembered by all those who follow after. Tenten could only hope to achieve such a feat before she joined them on the other side. 

_I will make you proud of me_, she quietly vowed to the heavens, knowing that those who waited for her on the other side could hear it. 

"You would have been proud," a soft voice belonging only to a female interrupted, "Konohamaru was very brave and handled himself like a true Sarutobi."

"Tch," the younger kunoichi scoffed, "That's more than I can say for myself."

Drawn by the soft sway of the grass under her feet, the steel goddess glanced back over the soft curve of her shoulder towards the rising sun and greeted the approaching figure with a quiet and respectful nod. Even at such an early hour, the Jounin instructor of Team 8 still looked as radiant and calm as ever, though her steps appeared more weary than usual. But she supposed, everyone's mood had been a little more morbid during the past few days since the news had spread about Asuma's death.

"You give yourself far too little credit, Tenten," Kurenai commented softly as she walked up beside the young girl.

Whether the older kunoichi knew it or not, a pale hand was protectively press against the woman's stomach as if out of habit and Tenten could not help but find some amusement in that. It would still be another few weeks before the physical signs of her pregnancy would become really noticeable, giving more definition to the slight curve of her belly that she already had now. But it seemed that the Jounin's unconscious behavior more than made up for nature's discretion. To Tenten, they were true signs of motherhood.

"Shouldn't you be resting in your condition?" the younger kunoichi inquired, quirking a curious brow.

"How did you - ?" the elder began to question, her eyes widening a fraction in shock.

"We're a family of shinobis," the Chuunin interrupted without missing a beat, smiling fondly at the lingering thought, "There's little that we can keep from each other."

"Hm," Kurenai scoffed lightly with a smile of her own, "I suppose I should have expected as much."

Exchanging a brief look of understanding, the kunoichis settled into a tolerable silence; letting the atmosphere of the hallowed grounds bring peace to their troubling minds. In Tenten's experience, the road to recovering was not be an easy one and would be more difficult now than ever before. While previously she had a solid foundation to lean and rely on to help her through, now she would have to stand as a pillar for others.

"He would have been a great father," she mumbled softly to the older kunoichi.

"He already was a great father," Kurenai responded, causing the former to glance up at her curiously, "I saw how he was with you and Konohamaru after the Sandaime died, and how he lead his team."

"…Yeah," Tenten agreed, nodding at the truth of her words, "I guess you're right."

"And you will do a fine job with Konohamaru as well," the Jounin added, placing a hand on the young girl's shoulder in comfort.

Despite knowing that the responsibility of taking guardianship over the young shinobi in training and being prepared to perform her duty as the boy's last surviving relative, Tenten could not help but tense at the woman's words. Caring for someone else's needs would be hard and taxing, especially with someone who idolized the number one prankster of the village, Uzumaki Naruto. She was only sixteen years old and barely on her own. Would she be able to provide for the both of them the means to survive?

"I'm not so sure about that," the weapon mistress somberly muttered in response, to both her mental inquiries and to Kurenai's previous statement, "I know that am the leader of this family now, but I don't know what to do."

"None of us do," came the woman's cliché words of comfort, "We just have to get through it as best as we can."

Strangely enough, no matter how overused those few lines were or how many times she had heard it during the week that preceded the funeral as well as the days that followed after, Tenten felt slightly calmed by them. It reminded her that not everyone knew the answers and that they all were simply just fumbling through life with the same concerns, doubts and questions; each searching for a resolution that could never truly be found.

"All I know is that Asuma trusted you enough to put Konohamaru in your care when he left," the elder kunoichi added, finally taking a moment to kneel down and place a single white rose on top of the new headstone, "Find comfort in that."

"So…is this where we're supposed to go from here?" the young agent of the leaf questioned, holding out a hand to help the pregnant woman back up, "Is this how we move on?"

"I don't know," was Kurenai's only response, a twinkle of a smile trapped within the depths of her blazing read eyes, "But it's a start."

- _To make an end is to make a beginning. Those were the words that had been in my family for generations. And they were true enough, I suppose. The start of a new adventure cannot be possible without finishing the one before it. The coming of a new generation is not possible without the old stepping down from their coveted positions of power. It's a cycle in life that is ever turning, perpetual and endless. Because like my grandfather always said, 'The end is where we start from.' And in that respect, I suppose that the beginning is where we end up. -_

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**Next Month's Theme:** Fool Me Once


	21. Shattered Truths and Broken Lies

**Theme:** Fool Me Once

**Pairing:** Momentary hint of GaaTen, hints of SasuTen, perhaps a little ItaTen too

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Shattered Truths and Broken Lies**

Darkness filled in the empty spaces around us once again as the giant boulder slid back into place at the mouth of the cave, snubbing out our main source of natural light for the security of maintaining their secret dealings. Growing more and more accustomed to living in perpetual night with each new day, my eyes quickly adjusted as familiar outlines of menacing shadows shifted into place. Glowing eyes in the gloom only spared me disgusted glances as they passed by, fleeting and unimpressed with my presence.

I was hardly a speck on their senses, merely the unwanted dead-weight that came along with the coveted prize of a packaged deal. It was him they wanted, not me. But Sasuke had made it perfectly clear in the beginning that he would not be willing to join them unless I was allowed to follow as well. Against their policies and better judgment it had been allowed. The allure of possessing the last two souls that had a pair of naturally developed Sharingan eyes was too much for Sir Leader to pass up even at the risk of admitting one not yet worthy as me into his secret organization. The black swirls, swimming in a sea of red and framed with white as they analyzed the world around them, had been my savoir. There were very few places that a missing-nin would be safe within the shinobi world after they decidedly left their respective villages. And what place was better than Akatsuki headquarters?

"Come on, let's go," a familiar voice called out softly from the quiet of the shadows as a warm hand wrapped gently around my wrist, "Not much we can do around here until we're made official members of the organization."

"And that won't happen until one of them is killed, opening up a spot for someone to fill," I scoffed, putting up no resistance as he tugged me down the long hall.

Torches randomly placed along the dark corridor flickered at our movements, stretching far into the mountain base that they called home. We had only been here a few weeks and there was still much to explore. But being new to the operation meant that our access was limited to only the main room located at the entrance of the cavern and the central corridor that led to the living and sleeping quarters. Despite the grand space allotted to them, all member potential or otherwise were to share a room with another. Perhaps it was Sir Leader's way of determining the teams by the way they would interact normally with each other during menial tasks that came with everyday life. With a bunch of rag tag S-class missing-nins from the four corners of the various shinobi nations, it was safe to bet that nothing was out of the ordinary around here.

"Are you sure the room is the best place for us to be right now, Sasuke?" I inquired quietly so that my voice did not echo too much against the walls of the passageway, "Some of them have already made it perfectly clear that they're suspicious of us."

"Sticking around out here while they're performing that jutsu isn't going to help matters much either, Tenten," the younger of the Uchiha brothers pointed out, "We'd just be in the way."

"But at least we'd learn something from watching," I retorted in a harsh whisper, jerking my hand away so he would stop and face me as he spoke, "Even despite the risk, it's something."

"And it would be pointless if we got caught," Sasuke grounded out, taking an extra step closer so that we could hear each other's hushed words, "Look, I'm willing to take the risks as much as the next shinobi, but we have to be careful around these guys."

"But we're running out of time," I pressed on, doing little to hide the desperation in my voice, "I overheard them making plans to go after Gaara."

Born and bred in the shinobi way almost since his birth, the young man had been keeping a careful watch on our surroundings, listening intently for any approaching figure who might be able to overhear our conversations. But all basic and instinctual acts that had been learned and engrained in our minds at the Academy were forgotten and discarded at that statement. Piercing black eyes flared in red hues as they studied me carefully under the dim lights of the torches. It was hard to read the expression on his face, unsure whether Sasuke was staring at me out of irritation for risking so much to hear their secret plans concerning our friend, or because his own concerns for Gaara were boiling to the surface.

"It was unintentional, I swear," came my swift explanation, believing that his reasons were the former, "I may be impatient and defiant at times, but I'm not reckless."

"I understand your concerns, I'm worried about him too," Sasuke finally responded with a sigh, pinching at the bridge of his nose to relieve the pressure that was building there, "But we can't let our personal feelings interfere with this mission."

Having learned the codes of conduct back in the Academy, I knew that he was right in saying that I could not let my personal . One of the first lessons taught to us was the process of detaching emotions from our assignments in order to remain impartial and unbiased in our decisions. But despite knowing all that, though, I could not sit idly by while the life of an old friend was threatened, especially when we had worked so hard in mending our broken bonds. Still consumed with an overwhelming sense of worry for the safety of the young Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village, I made to protest the matter further when I caught the undeniable twitch in the corner of my companion's eye.

"Come on, let's go to the room," he stated a bit more loudly, the shift in his demeanor and mood noticeably different from before, "At least this way we won't have to deal with this mass collection of superiority complexes."

"I'd watch what you say if I were you, little brother," a calm voice echoed down the corridor, still holding with it the contained malicious intent that we both had grown to recognize, "You never know who might be listening."

Deep brown eyes met red as the Sharingan flared up at the sound. Even though he had finally moved on from the horrors of his past, thoughts of the massacre and the man who had caused still left a lingering sting in Sasuke. But before he could get lost in the forgotten emotions once again, I gripped at his forearm in hopes of bringing the young prodigy back from the shadows of the past and into the realities of the present.

Exchanging determined looks, we both turned to stare down the darkened passageway at the approaching figure. The silhouette was hard to distinguish at first as our eyes had grown accustomed to relying on the light of the flames. But as he walked under the flickering torches, draped in the traditional cloaks of the Akatsuki, his features and identity were made clear. After all, there was only one other person here that possessed the menacing black and red swirls of the Sharingan. The two pairs of eyes flared in the presence of the other, sending out an unspoken challenge in deep red beacons. No doubt the other associates in the organization could feel the tension that existed between the two brothers now.

"Itachi-san," I merely greeted, relying on the tradition of showing respect to keep from sneering in his direction as he came to a stop beside us in the dark hallway.

"Tenten-san," the elder Uchiha reciprocated with a lingering glance in my direction before turning to greet Sasuke, "Otouto."

"Aniki," Sasuke muttered in return, making it almost sound more like an insult than a greeting, "No one asked for your opinion."

"And yet without it, you would not even be here, would you?" Though his tone had been as uncaring and stoic as ever, there was a hint of smugness directed at us that only a few could detect. The art of unspoken emotions and hidden meaning behind his words was something Uchiha Itachi had mastered long ago, even before he developed his Sharingan. Biting remarks from seemingly harmless words were things that had filled Sasuke's childhood, brought back to life and in full focus in the small space of the stone halls.

"What are you doing slinking about the corridors, anyways?" the younger Uchiha questioned, choosing to quiet his growing anger and instead focus all his attention on prolonging the deception, "Don't you have a ceremony to perform with those other circus rejects?"

"And don't you have some training to do?" Itachi inquired in cool retort, "You can't expect to join the Akatsuki if all you do is spend your time…indulging in worthless human affairs."

"That's enough," I interrupted, hoping to stop their bickering before it had a chance to fester into something much more, "You're both working for Akatsuki now, so just stop all this."

Whether they heard me or not, the two remaining members of the Uchiha clan continued to stare intently at each other, Sharingan eyes swirling and shifting with a contained challenge neither one seemed to want to back down from. The situation was dangerous and there was no telling how much patience Sasuke had left before he would forego the mission to face his own personal demons, manifested into the figure of his brother standing in front of them.

"Sasuke," I beckoned as I tightened my grip on his forearm and gave it a light tug while I took a step down the hall, hoping that it would prompt him to follow, "Let's go back to the room, like you said."

Seemingly rooted to the ground, my shoulder jerked back at his refusal to budge from the spot, seeming intent on staring his older brother down in a silent battle of wills. Not in the mood to deal with their dysfunctional sibling rivalry, I pulled sharply at his sleeve, finally gaining enough of his attention to impatiently give him a look that told him that I meant business. nod my head in the direction of the room we had been assigned to share. Reluctant at first, Sasuke finally gave a short nod in my direction, casting a fleeting glance at Itachi before making to follow me down the halls.

"Wait," Itachi called, stilling our movements with one simple word, "If I could have a moment with you, Tenten-san…alone?"

"Uh…sure, Itachi-san," I replied quickly before Sasuke could make a protest, gripping at the younger shinobi's shoulder in warning as he opened his mouth to speak against the request.

Confused at my immediate acceptance to his brother's calm insistence, the brooding young man turned to glare in my direction. Understanding perfectly his perplexed hesitation to leave, I only nodded for him to continue down the corridor, almost urging him. To this he frowned, giving me a look that spoke volumes on how he felt about leaving me alone with the Akatsuki member, his own brother no doubt. While it was touching how much he cared for my safety, I could not help but scoff at the irony. Only minutes before, he had given me a lecture about allowing my feelings for Gaara affect the progression of the mission. Now he was guilty of the exact same crime by being overly concerned about me.

He was defensive, and that much was understandable. His entire family had been taken out right in front of his eyes at a very young age, killed by the same person Sasuke had admired and strove to be like all his life. Such a betrayal was no so easily forgotten even after all these years, especially when standing face to face with that same man, not only the last remaining connection to his forgotten family but also the reason that they were gone as well. As I thought of this more and more, I realized that it was a hard enough concept for Sasuke to allow me to come this close to his brother; me who had been his closest friend and companion back when the Uchiha clan was still thriving and alive. But he had to trust in my strength and stick to the plan no matter what the cost.

"Go!" I mouthed soundlessly, waving him off with a simple hand gesture.

"Don't worry, Sasuke," Itachi assured his brother, only adding salt to the figurative wounds, "I'll bring her back in one piece."

It was hard to see behind the high collar of his Akatsuki cloak, but there was no denying the smirk in the prodigy's voice, earning a low growl from Sasuke's general direction. Despite the years of maturity that had developed over the years, they were still brothers at heart. And as the older of the two, Itachi would never miss an opportunity to pick and chip away every last ounce of patience from the young heir.

"I'll be fine, Sasuke," I said softly, putting all my assurance into those three words so that my companion would be satisfied enough to allow me a moment alone with his brother, "Just go."

Sighing his frustration at the situation, the young stared at me with his dark eyes a moment longer, the Sharingan fading into their usual black as they narrowed at the deadly Akatsuki member. His steps were slow and light as he turned to leave, still uncertain that leaving me to Itachi's company was the best choice. But he understood as well as I did, had this been in the presence of Sir Leader, such suspicious behavior would draw unwanted attention. And that was something we needed to avoid at all costs.

"I'll say this again: he must be very fond of you," the elder Uchiha brother commented smoothly, interrupting my thoughts.

"What's this all about, Itachi?" I inquired, folding my arms over my stomach as I completely ignored his statement, hoping that our conversation would last longer than necessary, "Because if you pulled me aside just to disc - guh!"

Taken off-guard, I found myself gasping for much needed air, pressed hard against the stone wall of the corridor by his pale hand. Using all that I had learned of the Sharingan over the years and its many stages as well as the lessons Gai-sensei had taught us about facing such an opponent, I still managed to avoid any and all eye contact. Focusing my attention on the red and white swirls of his cloak, I stood there struggling to fill my lungs with oxygen, pulling and clawing at his hand in hopes that he would loosen his grip just a fraction more.

"Did you really think you could fool me with such a rudimentary plan?" he asked rhetorically, only tightening his grip on my neck, "Who in their right mind would believe that my brother would be willing to work in the same organization as me, the one who killed his precious clan?"

"If you had this all figured out, then why let us join?" I managed to rasp out, "Why not just rat us out to your leader?"

"It's as I said before, our family has an affinity to the darker side of life," he replied simply, loosening his hold when he saw that I was on the verge of passing out, "And my foolish brother is the only reason that you are here."

"What?" I questioned, still frantic but forgetting for the moment about his slim fingers wrapped at my throat, "What are you talking about?"

"Do not play dumb with me," the elder of the Uchiha brothers stated coolly, finally slipping his hand from my throat to gently cup my cheek, "Just because I was not present does not mean I don't know about the marking ritual."

Calloused fingers continued to roam across the skin of my neck as brown eyes widened with the realization of exactly what he knew. Fixing my gaze at the white and red clouds of his cloak, I stifled a shiver at the feeling of Itachi's fingers brushing against the nape of my neck, tracing around the hidden symbol etched on the surface of the skin only weeks before. There had been no witnesses, we had made sure of that by holding the ritual in the private temple located on the Uchiha property. How Itachi had managed to find out about it when the entire village remained oblivious to the fact.

"You will make an excellent Uchiha bride indeed," the deadly Akatsuki member whispered softly, "The only question is who will be your groom."

Cold and calloused hands brushed against my cheek as they swept aside dark stray strands of hair to tuck it behind my ear. My head twitched just slightly as the soft skin of his knuckles grazed along the smooth surface, barely noticeable in the shady corridor but enough to draw the attention of both men standing on either side of me. I could almost feel the smirk on Itachi's face as the hand fell to his side once more. Pivoting on his heels, he quietly strolled down the hall without another word, leaving me to wonder just what exactly he had implied with that last sentence.

_What games are you playing at, Itachi?_ I thought, watching his quiet silhouette disappear into the shadows, knowing that there had to me more to what he was saying.

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**AN**: Not exactly a continuation of February's theme but it's one way to go with the idea I had presented in that fic.

**Next Month's Theme:** One Last Dance, One Last Chance


	22. Hopelessly Faithful

**Theme:** One Last Dance, One Last Chance

**Pairing:** GaaTen

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Hopelessly Faithful**

Weary chocolate brown eyes opened as the light of the sun peeked over the horizon, shining its rays through the circular window where she sat. Still no prepared for the morning hours, I squinted behind the cover of my hand as it rubbed tiredly at my forehead, grimacing at the few hours of sleep I had managed to get. The night had been a particularly long one despite the fact that nothing of grave danger or concern had occurred. But as I glanced over at the still form sleeping peacefully under the thin covers of our shared bed, I decided that it was well worth it.

Mental worries and manifested fears bleeding into my psyche aside from the previous day's events had kept me awake, unable to find comfort in dreams. But the thought of letting him enjoy a good night's sleep was most prominent in my mind, especially since he had so very few of them during his younger days. Now, rest seemed to be all that he could manage without complications. There was nothing I could do about the daily fits that he was so prone to having, nor the uncertainties concerning his condition. But I was determined to ensure that he would have at least one night undisturbed by nightmares…even though I knew it was unnecessary.

"Up at the crack of dawn as usual, I see," called a deep, yet feminine voice.

Shifting my eyes towards the crack in the door, I smirked at the familiar sight of Temari poking her head into the room. The older girl returned the gesture as she stepped inside, her sandaled feet barely making a sound against the marbled flooring. Clad in her usual training uniform with large fan in tow, the blonde gave her slumbering brother a lingering glance as she passed by the bed, worry lines prominent on her face. Eldest of the three sand siblings and a great leader in her own right, it had been placed on Temari to serve as acting Kazekage while Gaara struggled to deal with his predicament.

"Getting up at the crack of dawn implies that I actually went to bed," I responded with a light scoff, tiredly smirking at her from my seat at the windowsill.

"I know that your sensei can be extreme in his training regiments, but I doubt he would approve or support such a sleeping schedule, Tenten," Temari stated with a hint of anxiety, sounding none too happy as her arms folded over her stomach while she leaned against the window frame.

"It's hard for me to do that, knowing what's going on with him," I sighed as I wearily rubbed what little sleep I had managed to get the night before, "We're all so helpless in this, I just…watching over him makes me feel like I'm doing something, at least."

Joining the older kunoichi in watching the unconscious young leader of Sunagakure as he continued to sleep in undisturbed slumber, I looked on with an aching in my heart. The one person who had become more to me than life itself, and there was nothing I could do to ease his suffering. But deterioration of the mind had begun long before I had ever made my entrance into his life. It had started with the extraction of Shukaku at the hands of the Akatsuki faction. Having such a spirit inside of you since before birth ties your soul to it until a dependency forms between the two. When the demonic said priest had been so forcefully taken away from Gaara's body, all the structural stability that had formed to accommodate Shukaku's mind began to crumble. It had been slow at first, progressing at the rate of a crippled snail. But as all things go, such luck was not destined to last.

"How was he last night?" the blonde inquired softly so as not to wake him.

"Slept like a baby as always," I replied, only managing a small twitch of a smile before the previous frown returned in full force, "But it's not the nights that we should really worry about."

"…I know," Temari stated tiredly with a soft sigh, doing little to suppress the somber thought that we all were thinking.

Gaara was dying, steadily falling apart from the inside out. As all things, it had began small with the occasional forgotten document or mistaken mission assignment, and had been brushed off as nothing more than the result his overwhelming Kazekage duties. But after a near chaotic misunderstanding in front of a group of shinobi generals, it became clear that there was more going on than overworked nerves. It was for that reason that Temari had been assigned to step in and lead the village in his stead; a position she was more than qualified for but a role she still refused to take on a permanent basis. Sometimes it amazes me the amount of hope the blonde is capable of possessing.

"You should really reconsider taking up the position of Kazekage permanently," I commented, shooting the tall blonde a pointed glance out the corner of my eyes.

"I told you before that I wouldn't take it," the sand-kunoichi responded with her usual frown she would flash every time the subject came up, "You may have given up hope, Tenten, but I haven't."

"I hope every day that he gets better, but with the way Gaara's been lately, the Council will have to appoint a new leader pretty soon anyways," I snapped, turning towards Temari with a scowl at the mere mention of doubt on my part, "I just figured it would be better that it stay in the family than be given to some half-wit who isn't even qualified for the position."

Brimming with irritation and annoyance at such a notion, I looked on as the proud kunoichi from Suna kept her eyes locked on her youngest brother with an even expression. As the eldest of the three, it had fallen on Temari's shoulders to take up the role as their mother and caretaker. From what Gaara had described of his childhood, their father was never a real presence in their lives, merely a shadow of a figure who would appear to clean up the mess that Shukaku made. But every child needed the sort of comfort that only she could provide, shifting through the dark haze of obstacles life always enjoyed throwing at an individual while they sought out the arms of the one person who always knew how to make things better. And as hard as the kunoichi had worked to ensure that her siblings got everything that they needed, there was no replacing the mother that they had all lost.

"…I wasn't aware it had gotten that serious," she finally said, her voice soft and filled with an indescribable remorse at not having known the truth of what was going on.

Taking notice of the faint frown lingering at the corners of her lips and the sadness hidden within the depths of her blue eyes (things that only someone who knew her well enough to look could see), I could not help but soften my approach towards here. This was none of her fault. The both of us were experiencing the same helplessness of the situation, if not more so on her part. It was not my place or right to direct my anger towards her.

"It has," I responded in a more calming manner, using the sight of Gaara sleeping soundly in bed as inspiration, "He nearly killed the entire Council in a Sand Coffin the other day because he thought they were attacking him."

"Like it would be such a bad thing if the Council members were all killed," the tessen user scoffed, folding her arms over her chest in a defiant manner.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that was a treasonous comment," came my amused response as I glanced at her with an impish smirk.

Equally amused, the two of us exchanged a small smile, something that neither had been able to express in a long while since discovering the seriousness of Gaara's steadily declining condition. Taking it one step further, I placed a comforting hand on the older girl's shoulder and gave a light, consoling squeeze as the both of us joined to watch over the red-head in quiet observation. But such things as emotions were fleeting at best as the reality of the situation resurfaced once more to dim what little light we had managed to find.

"He's hearing the voices again, you know," I stated matter-of-factly, turning my gaze towards the former demon vessel, "I promised I wouldn't tell anyone, but…he told me he was hearing them again, only rarely but…like before when Shukaku was still…"

It seemed as if he was reverting back through the years with each passing day and the nightmares that he faced as a young boy. There were times that a familiar face would be a stranger to him, moments where he would relive his lonely childhood and run away in fear at the sight of me, believing that I meant nothing but harm. And then my heart would break as he called out of the warm comfort of the mother he had never knew, the woman who had sacrificed her life to let him live. But there were also days where his conscious and mind resembled how it had been before all the trouble began. And those were the moments I held on to, fueling my hopes that he would get better in time and that this was nothing more than a minor setback on his road to perfect health.

All of us wanted nothing more than to believe that Gaara would get better, never quite willing to let go the beauty of his spirit. But the reality of the matter always kept us from hoping too much. And it was with that thought in mind that I felt Temari's hand squeeze my shoulder, taking my attention away from the once prominent leader of Sunagakure. She looked as if she were about to say something to me, pointless words of comfort that we both knew would do no good to help in this crisis, but knowing that we needed to hear them. But whatever cliché thought or ideals that she was about to recite was interrupted by Gaara's violent cries of pain and torment.

"Naaaaaah!" he cried out, wreathing and squirming in the bed, "I'm sorry, Mother!"

"Temari, go get the medic-nins in here," I called out as we both made to rush to his side, finding it nearly impossible as he lashed out whenever we would attempt to get anywhere near him, "He's having another episode."

"But what are you going to do?" the taller woman questioned, obviously hesitant to leave her brother while he was in this state.

"Just go!" I snapped, almost matching Gaara's ferocity as I bit out the command, "I'll be fine."

There was a momentary pause as Temari still was reluctant to leave her youngest brother's side, but there was no time to waste. Realizing that, she was out the door in a instant, her sandaled footsteps slapping loudly down the corridor as she rushed to inform the medic-nins about Gaara's currently frantic state. That done, I turned all my attention towards the once proud Kazekage, no doubt suffering indescribable anguish from what I could see from where I stood. From previous attempts, I knew that the process of calming him would be a difficult task for anyone, especially when he was in this state of mind. Friends and enemies alike were considered a threat, shunned and pushed away in order to protect himself from the demonic thoughts that were whispering in his ear.

"Gaara, it's alright," I said as calmly as I could, slowly inching my way next to the bed.

"No, stay away from me!" he practically shouted when I tried placing a calming hand on his shoulder, managing to cut two lines of blood into my arm when he lashed out again to protect himself.

Fingers instantly coming up to press against the wound and stop the bleeding, I watched helplessly as the feverish leader of Sunagakure clutched at his head, his mind slowly slipping into that dark and lonely corner it had been so many years before during our first Chuunin Exams. It was something I had feared would return ever since the cause of Gaara's condition had been realized. Feeling the biting sting the wounds he had made, I slowly poured out my chakra into the cuts, healing the broken skin like Sakura had showed me a few months before. Tending to severe and more serious injuries was still out of my reach, but as a weapon specialist who worked with sharp objects on a daily basis, any little knowledge in that particular field was helpful.

Suddenly, his screams of agony stopped along with his distressful struggle as his head popped up from under the tangled covers and slowly scanned the room like a predatory beast looking for its potential prey. Black-rimmed eyes locked with mine and I fought the urge to step back under the intensity of his stare, though the flow of my chakra did falter under the intimidation. The sand-nin's reaction to that was immediate as his features noticeably softened, his head snapping around like a lost child in search of his mother. Curiously, I emitted a small flow of chakra to my hands again, feeling the heat of the energy as I watched with interest for Gaara's reaction.

"M…mother?" he questioned with a tilt of his head, seeming unsure as to who he was addressing as he squinted his eyes for a better look, "Te…Temari?"

"…No Gaara," was my response before quickly shaking the thought away with a sigh, "It's me."

Spreading the chakra energy throughout my entire body, I took a few hesitant steps forward towards the edge of the bed, still not completely convinced that my theory had been correct and fearing a more violent reaction as I came into his personal space once more. But as he willing made his way towards my outstretched hand, letting me gently cup his cheek as I pulled him into the circle of my arms, the answer had become perfectly clear. Even though Gaara could not recognize my face amid his hallucinations, he knew my chakra signature to be a familiar one despite not being able to distinguish my identity.

"I'm…I'm sorry, mother," the former demon vessel grumbled under his breath, "The blood wasn't…it wasn't…good enough for you."

"Shhh, it's alright, Gaara," I pleaded softly into his ear, a single tear streaming down my face at what he said, so reminiscent of his former self, "Just come back to me, one more time."

Despite the years that had passed, there was no forgetting the kind of person Gaara had been while the sand spirit had been in control. Though I was not there to see for myself, I heard the stories and I saw the aftermath of his battle with Naruto. And it was with that lingering thought that let my calloused fingers so worn from years of handling the rough tools of a shinobi slip easily into his crimson locks of hair, rubbing soothingly at the scalp while I whispered soft words of comfort and reassurance in his ear like a mother would to her own child. That was what Gaara needed from me and that was what I would give him if it meant another moment of peace for his erratic mind. With a gentle kiss to the tattoo etched in his skin, I tucked his head under my chin, completely wrapping the both of us in my presence.

So caught up in the feeling of simply being able to hold him so closely after such a harsh reaction to my attempts to coax him down from his frantic state, I barely registered the hands, his hands, steadily wrapping around my torso in a gentle squeeze as he buried his face into the crook of my neck. It was all the strength he could manage, I supposed, after struggling against the ghost of his demons. But no matter how small an effort it may have seemed, it was enough for me just to know that a little part of himself was still in there fighting to overcome this.

"Te…Tenten?" I heard him whisper, sounding nothing less than tired and confused as he pulled away to look deep into my eyes.

A stampede of footsteps echoing down the halls, interrupted whatever he was going to say, telling us of Temari's return along with a parade of medical ninjas who soon rushed in through the door. All seemed pause at the sight presented before them, standing in awe of Gaara's tamed behavior as it contrasted what they believed they would be facing upon entering the room. Temari in particular seemed shocked to see how calm and tamed her youngest brother was behaving, having witnessed first hand the level of fierce insanity the former leader of Suna was capable of during one of his episodes. But the need to be near the young sand-nin and to be able to provide him with a safe refuge to be in his nightmarish reality outweighed any urgency concerning the stares of the other spectators.

"Tenten, how did you - ?" the tessen wielder started to ask, stopping after taking a step forward when Gaara reacted to her advances by burying his face into the crook of my neck, "What did you do?"

"Just emit a constant flow of chakra throughout your body," I explained quietly while smoothing back locks of his red hair in a comforting gesture, "His hallucinations can't disorient chakra signatures so he'll recognize that long before he would your face."

Never one to believe the things that others told her, she eyed me warily. But curiosity got the better of her and soon enough I felt the light tingle of her chakra signature as she approached. Sure enough, Gaara's head lifted at the familiar presence and came into Temari's open arms, holding her close as if she were his last lifeline to this world. With the way things were going, I would not doubt that to be true.

"Excuse me, Temari-sama?" one of the medic-nins nervously called out, "I hate to interrupt but we need to - "

"I know!" the blonde kunoichi snapped, the irritation in her voice unmistakable as she turned to me with a more calming demeanor, "Are you gonna be alright Tenten?"

"Sure, do what you have to do," came my restrained response as I slow and reluctantly slipped my arms out from around Gaara's torso, "I'll come by later to see him."

Faced with the notion of having to stay behind as Gaara was carried away towards the medical building, I slumped down on the mattress, the springs squeaking under my weight. A hand came up to rub away the small prickles of pain creeping along the left side of my head, clear indications of the migraine that was to come from the morning's emotional stress. But a deep sigh amid the faint smile that was set on my lips was the only outwards sign I gave to exactly how wearing I felt, too engulfed with the determination I had seen when our eyes locked.

Gaara had returned from the darkness of his childhood, from the monsters of his nightmares. And as small a step as that was in the long road ahead, I was hopeful in knowing that it was the first of many as he slowly fought his way back to me...because he had to come back. And if he could not find his way now, then...I had a foreboding feeling that he never would.

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**AN**: ...It didn't exactly turn out the way that I wanted. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing. :P

**Next Month's Theme:** I Smell Team Spirit


	23. The Journey of a Year

**Theme:** I Smell Team Spirit

**Pairing:** A small hint of NejiTen

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**The Journey of a Year**

- _"Next up, Squad 9. Tenten, Rock Lee, and Hyuuga Neji." _-

Voices from that day still echoed in her mind, the moment when all their lives had been joined into one, singular path. Iruka-sensei had explained it clear enough for everyone to understand. After becoming a Genin upon graduating from the Ninja Academy, they would be assigned to a three-man team led by a Jounin instructor. It was from then that each squad was to be trained and taught in the ways of the shinobi, slowly growing and learning effectively to better protect the village, both individually and as a team. Anxiously glancing around the training field as they waited for Gai-sensei to arrive, Tenten did not feel that they were much of a team.

They were never really friends during their Academy days, barely even classmates if one was to be truthful about the connections they had concerning each other. As all other teams, they were merely three newly appointed shinobis thrown together by a mix of statistics and chance in order to create an evenly balanced squad. But though they all shared the same ambition of becoming a loyal agent of the village, as Tenten soon found out, it was one of the only things they had on common.

"You're holding it wrong," came a smoothly deepened voice, breaking through the silence that had settled on the field.

With a dull thunk of the kunai as it embedded itself into the wood of the target, she paused in her idle practice to turn towards the owner of the voice in disdain. Hyuuga Neji. The top-ranked rookie of their graduating class. Born into one of the most prestigious families of Konoha and considered a genius among his peers, he had always held a superior attitude towards the other students. Even now as he sat quietly under the cool shade of a nearby tree, in the midst of his meditation, there was an arrogance in the way she had been addressed.

"…Excuse me?" the kunoichi questioned, raising a brow curiously with contained anger.

"The kunai," the young prodigy clarified easily, never once opening his eyes to look at her, "You're holding it wrong."

"But she had the best accuracy in our class, Neji," another voice chimed in, sounding ever cheerful in contrast, "I would think how she held a kunai would not matter."

Following the sound, the young kunoichi found herself face to face with Rock Lee, someone who seemed to be on the receiving end of most teasing comments that had been exchanged while they were still studying in the Academy. Such cruelties from their peers was caused by the young boy's lack of chakra use, forcing him to rely on his taijutsu. He was the relative opposite of the young Hyuuga, working hard to gain the few skills that he possessed. It was through his hard work and steady progression in the field of taijutsu that had allotted Lee the coveted status of Academy graduate and a spot on their mixed-matched squad.

A fleeting glance in the pale shinobi's direction and Tenten was on her way towards the target to retrieve her weapons. She was anything but an ordinary kunoichi of the Hidden Leaf Village. Equipped with an extensive knowledge of any and all tools of the trade, coupled with a near-perfected accuracy, it was clear that she had a great potential to becoming a great agent of the village. But that sort of preparation had also isolated her from the others.

"It's ok, Lee," Tenten mumbled softly, raising a hand to stop him before he rushed even further to her aid, "Everyone is entitled to their opinions, even a pompous clan genius like him."

And with that said, she continued her trek towards the target to retrieve the discarded weapon, not letting another thought of anything the Hyuuga said bother her. The newly-made kunoichi had enough experience in dealing with being underestimated or underappreciated for the simple fact that she was a girl. It was no secret that kunoichis were never taken as seriously as their male counterparts, the belief of gender roles still in play even after female shinobis had proven their worth time and time again. The taunts and teasing that Tenten received from the other students at the Academy had been bad enough. She refused to subject her self to it any further.

"Hn, a typical reaction, one I had expected to get from someone like you," Neji commented off-handedly.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Tenten snapped in return, having paused in front of the post where the straw target had been set up to whip around and glare at him.

"Tenten, please, calm down," Lee pleaded, stepping in between the two when it was clear the girl was in no mood to deal with Neji's snide comments.

If there was one thing that the girl hated most, it was being overestimated and underappreciated for her skills. She had worked diligently and hard in the Academy to be able to rank herself among one of the top students in the class, often times placing among the top five percentile. Normally a calm and collected individual, a few carelessly stated phrases in her direction would be enough to send the fiery kunoichi in training over the edge of her patience, something that seemed oblivious to Neji as he continued on with his criticism in the mist of his meditation.

"I have no time to explain simple things to you," the Hyuuga responded with a light scoff, not at all taking notice of the kunoichi's slowly burning disposition, "Figure it out on your own."

A growl was all that was heard, followed by a pained grunt and a surprised yelp. Moments later found the three locked in a vicious but overall harmless battle, each having a different motive for continuing the three-way struggle for dominance. But while Tenten's and Neji's lingered around the realm of revenge, Lee's thoughts were filled with the intent of keeping some level of peace among their squad. And so, it was with an enraged Tenten with fist full of Hyuuga's hair in her grip, a frazzled Lee trying to desperately calm the girl down, and an annoyed Neji laying at the bottom of the dog pile of students that Maito Gai found his newly appointed students on the training field that day.

Thoroughly impressed by their youthfulness, he decided then and there that they would pass their team assessment, making the members of Squad 9 official agents of the Hidden Leaf Village.

- _Your first mission as Genin will be to help carry groceries for Mrs. Suzume_. -

Walking down the busy streets of Konoha, the kunoichi glanced around for her two teammates. She had arrived on the training grounds that morning to see a note left by their Jounin instructor tacked to a tree with a kunai. Normally the last to arrive on the scene because of the three of them, Tenten lived the farthest from the training grounds, she had assumed that the other two had already seen the note and had headed to the appointed spot without another thought. Knowing the amount of trouble they could get into when left alone together without anyone there to mediate things, the girl had made a mad rush to find them before Lee had a chance to challenge Neji once more.

"Are you sure this is the place, Lee?" a voice sounded over the din of the market place, a mixture of strained patience mingled with calm irritation that could only be Hyuuga Neji.

"That is what the note said, Neji," another answered in response, sounding much more enthusiastic and cheerful than the former as he spoke, "And if Gai-sensei wrote that, then this is indeed the place."

There was no mistaking the special sort of bickering of her teammates, mainly downplayed because Lee was too filled with unbridled excitement and Neji's attitude was too polishly influenced by the Hyuuga upbringing to ever resort to small little squabbles. In any case, the two of them would usually sort out their differences in a challenge, more than likely issued by the young taijutsu user for which the clan prodigy would gladly accept. But before it could reach that point, Tenten decided to stop in, effectively stopping Lee from starting another contest in the middle of the village square.

"A bit early for you two to be fighting already, isn't it?" the kunoichi called out, folding her arms over her stomach as she strolled across the road towards them.

"But Tenten, we were not fighting," the now green-clad shinobi corrected, "It is simply just a matter of discussing the correct place we were to meet our client."

"Oh really?" the steel mistress inquired with a raised brow, "You could've fooled me."

Early on, she had realized that the two of them would be involved in a lot of disagreements, especially where Lee was concerned. Always one to want to prove himself to his peers, the young shinobi would often challenge the other students at the Academy, even despite his chances of winning. Teaming him up alongside the prodigal genius of their class would only encourage daily matches between the two, something that their sensei seemed to have no problems with considering the number of challenges he would often place on a certain grey-haired shinobi.

"This is ridiculous," she heard Neji grumble quietly under his breath, "If they thought it fit to request such service, the least they could do is arrive on time."

"Eager to carry the woman's groceries, are you?" the brunette questioned with a smirk as she turned to face him.

Turning towards her and seeing the slight upturn of her mouth, the young clan prodigy could only roll his eyes at the lightness in the kunoichi's tone. After the confrontation during their first training session, the two had settled their differences, at least to the best of their abilities and especially after witnessing fully the sort of enthusiasm that Lee possessed. There were still moments where the Hyuuga's very open opinions were a bit much for Tenten's ever patient nerves to handle and times when her unorthodox tendencies would cause a tick in Neji's ivory eyes, but for the time being they were in a tolerable state of mind. Besides, resigning themselves as the more rational half of the squad gave them little choice of interacting with anyone else.

"The sooner we finish the mission, the sooner the degradation will end," Neji finally responded to the girl's teasing.

"I hate this as much as you do, but we're Genin," came Tenten's sympathetic words, presenting him with the most logical explanation she could think of, "What did you expect, that we'd get a B-ranked mission right off the bat?"

"I expected something more dignified for a shinobi," came the young prodigy's acidic retort, stating what the both of them were thinking.

"Yeah, well, sorry Neji, but unfortunately we're at the bottom of the barrel," the kunoichi countered as she kicked up a cloud of dust with a lazy scuff of her sandals along the gravel road, "Nothing much for us to scrape up except for the leftovers."

Though true as those words were, even she was having problems believing them, thinking that such things as carrying groceries were beneath that of a shinobi. As agents of the village, they would one day be charged to fight wars, commit assassinations, and gather information through dastardly means. The mere act of helping someone carry their things home from the store would do nothing to help them grow and learn as shinobis, though Tenten understood the need to maintain civilian support on the matter. Without cooperation from the people in the village, there would be no shinobis to rely on during wartime.

"It is our job to serve the village any way that we can, is it not?" Lee chimed in, having long forgotten the challenge he was about to issue to his fellow teammate, "So there is nothing to be ashamed of."

"Lee has a point," the weapon goddess agreed, "But what I don't get is why would the person who made this request specifically asked for our squad."

"Is it not obvious?" came the taijutsu's ever cheerful response, "They have heard that we are the students of the great Maito Gai and wish for our excellent service."

"But we're just carrying groceries," Tenten started to question further, "Why that would even ma - "

"NEJI-KUN!" a loud, booming voice interrupted.

Startled by the high-pitched sound, the three of them all turned to stare down the street where there seemed to be a cloud of dust trailing behind an excited looking young lady as she rushed towards them…and straight to Neji's side, knocking Lee down in the process. The instant that realization of who was standing before them settled in, Tenten could only roll her eyes at the familiar girl, one of their former classmates who dropped out of the Academy when it was discovered that the only reason she decided to join was to be near the Hyuuga prodigy. Unfortunately, she was not the only one who had been forced to do so that year, and if she was being truthful, the kunoichi would wager that it would not be the last time the Academy instructors would come across girls like that.

"Tatsu," she mumbled with disdain to no one in particular, though Lee was unmistakably within earshot as she helped him up from the ground.

"This is not the proper use of shinobi assistance," the taijutsu user added with a hint of concern for the abuse of their services.

"Yeah, well, it doesn't look like Neji is enjoying this very much either," Tenten pointed out as she glanced over to the suffering clan genius, "The poor guy looks miserable."

"Should we not help him?" Lee inquired, looking on with great sympathy.

"I'm almost tempted not to just to get him back for all those snide comments," the kunoichi replied jokingly with a chuckle, though she stopped shortly as soon as she caught a desperate look from Lee, "But I will because he's our teammate and we can't just leave him like that."

"So what should we do?" he questioned further.

But instead of replying, she simply pulled him into a close huddle, whispering her plan to him while the culprit was distracted by her own target. All the while, Neji looked on in horror as the young girl clung tightly to his arm, gushing over how handsome he looked and how kind it was for him to help her carry her groceries home. Never once did she let him point out the fact that he was only there because it had been and assignment or that the whole squad had been enlisted to help complete the mission.

Suddenly and without warning, Lee popped up behind the unsuspecting girl, throwing his arms around her in a big, tight hug while shouting exclamations of how glad it was to see her after so long and how she was doing, endless questions that would keep her distracted. And while her attention was divided, Tenten grabbed Neji by the collar and started dragging him down the street, away from his stalker-ish pursuer. Soon after there was a loud squeal of horror as Lee joined them in the mad dash through the streets of Konoha.

Later on when it came time to turn in their mission report, Maito Gai could only smile as he read through the documents and account of what happened. True, they may have failed their first mission, but at least they were learning to work together.

- _You will not be entering into the Chuunin Exams this year_. -

Anger mixed with confusion and disappointment was what greeted the elder green-clad shinobi when he had made the announcement to his squad. They had all worked hard to gain the exemplary skill level that the three of them possessed. It had been a blow to all of their egos to discover that they would not to be able to enter the Exams this time around, perhaps hers most of all.

"It's because of me," she muttered after Maito Gai had left them to challenge Hatake Kakashi once more, "He doesn't think I'm ready."

"Whatever reasons Gai-sensei has, I am sure it has nothing to do with you Tenten," the miniature version of their instructor offered with a gentle squeeze of her shoulder.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," the kunoichi responded with a light scoff, though she still gave him a small smile for his attempt to comfort her, "Thanks anyways, Lee."

With little else to do, they separated into their own private and personal training exercises, focusing on the techniques and skills that made them stand out in the profession, catching the eye of their exuberant teacher. Taking her usual spot in the target area, surrounded by straw targets tacked into the tree trunks in a tight group, she effortlessly flung a few sharpened weapons with her usual accuracy.

"You're still not holding the kunai right," Neji commented, stepping out from behind one of the targets.

"Are you going to start that old subject up again?" the kunoichi snapped, in no particular mood to deal with him about her technique once more.

"I only point that out because I think you can do better," the young Hyuuga replied to Lee's previous comment, though it could have easily been a response to both statements made by either of his new teammates.

So unexpected was his response that it took a moment for Neji's words to fully sink in. But once they finally registered in Tenten's minds, all that could be read on her face was that of pure shock and curiosity. If there was one thing that she had learned about the young prodigy, it was that praise was something her pale-eyed teammate did not give out often, if at all, prompting the kunoichi to regard the shinobi with a bit of suspicion.

"And…how would you know…?" the kunoichi started to ask, a bit unsure of how to address the subject matter after such a comment from the usually quiet clan member.

"I can see it in you," he replied simply, fixing her gaze with his colorless orbs, "It's in your eyes."

Slowly as she continued to keep her eyes locked with his, she saw the faint signs of his veins coiling to the surface, clear indications that his Byakuugan had been activated. She had no response for him, no way of knowing what the proper reaction to something like that would be. All that Tenten could concentrate on were his eyes, milky white in their pureness, devoid of color save fore the little tints of shadow that played along his features, unmarred by emotions.

"Being born without pupils has its benefits," he continued on when all she gave him was silence.

"But…what about all that stuff you keep saying about fate and destiny never?" the girl questioned, confused about the contradictory things he was saying.

"…Just because I am bound by fate does not mean that you have to be," was Neji's simple response, turning his head to look up at the clear sky overhead.

"And Lee?" Tenten inquired further with a curious tilt of her head.

"If his goal to prove me wrong is the only motivation he has in bettering himself, then so be it," the Hyuuga replied nonchalantly, giving a seemingly indifferent shrug of his shoulder.

"…Tch, they were right," the kunoichi scoffed with a knowing smirk, "You are a genius."

"Hn," came the shinobi's reply, sporting a faint smirk of his own, "Perhaps I am."

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**Next Month's Theme:** A Perfect Sky


	24. Another Day, Another War

**Theme:** A Perfect Sky

**Pairing:** GaaTenSasu

**Disclaimer: **How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Another Day, Another War**

Thunderous clouds looming overhead made for a gloomy view outside the window panes, doing little to calm her frayed nerves as thoughts of war littered the kunoichi's mind. Home to a collection of scars and imperfections as a result of the young woman's profession, she was prepared to defend the Village of Hidden Leaf to the very end. But there was no ignoring the quick advances from the shinobis of Sound, driven hard by their master and fueled with the Snake Lord's hate for the citizens of his former home. After spending years recovering from the loss of Uchiha Sasuke as his next human vessel, acquiring another willing victim to take the clan prodigy's place, Orochimaru had finally amassed enough of his forces to set his plan in motion and there were no signs hinting that he would be relenting soon.

It was with that worry in mind that Tenten stood silently at the window, watching the other leaf agents work on the preparations in an equally somber mood. Unflinchingly, the kunoichi's gaze remained on the outer walls surrounding the village as flames flickered and flashed in the distance, reaching out with a burning arm to attack any who were careless enough to approach it without caution. Seconds later, the brunette heard the earth-shattering boom of explosive tags going off near the South Gate, feeling the very foundation of the building shake under the force.

"You think there are enough explosives in those traps?" the only other occupant of the room commented with his usual snerk, drawing her attention away from admiring the cryptic shapes creeping along the glass.

"Not really," Tenten replied with a smirk, practically feeling his brow quirk during his sarcastic statement, "But if I had equipped them to my standards and preferences, there wouldn't be a single explosive left in the village for a few weeks."

Another snerk was all that the young man would show of his amusement as he began his slow approach. Folding her arms over the expanse of her stomach, gripping at the bend in her elbows, the esteemed weapon specialist made no attempt to acknowledge the shinobi's nearing presence, his movements silent to the untrained ear. Even the creak of the wooden floorboards yielded to his abilities, only the soft rustle of the young man's clothes whispering amid the chaos of the outside world. Only the smoky scent of his skin told Tenten of the young Uchiha's approach, the smell almost permanently melted into his body from the collection of fire attacks his clan had been once known for.

"Like we can afford to go without those for so long during all this," Sasuke murmured softly, a small clang indicating that he had set his katana down on the counter.

"...War has its limitations just as much as anything else," Tenten responded calmly, watching as the light of the fires played against the shadowed buildings of the village.

"Orochimaru's men seem to have no limitations," Sasuke countered, his calloused fingers sliding over the curve of her shoulders as he spoke, slowly kneading the muscles underneath.

Dark eyes shifted to the side at his touch, leaving the scene at the window to give attention to the prodigy's lingering hands. He was so close and it had been so long since either one had seen the other outside of the battlefield. The duties required of shinobis during wartime had kept them both so busy to a point of exhaustion when they would stumble into bed at odd and random hours of the night. Truth be told, this had been the first time that Tenten found herself in the young Uchiha's presence for more than a few minutes since his return from Sunagakure weeks ago. And the kunoichi could not deny how good it felt to have Sasuke standing right beside her, lungs filling up with the sweet smell of burning. Mentally, she cursed his name for always coming before her after his training sessions, knowing just how much of a weakness the girl had for the scent. After so much death and destruction, falling into the arms of a lover seemed all too tempting for a girl to resist...

"That's because Orochimaru's men only have a choice between dying in this war or facing the Snake Lord's wrath for failing," came her delayed retort, using it as a smokescreen to his advances, whether they be unintentional or not, "Which would you prefer?"

"...Point taken," was Sasuke's response to the buffer, seeing the truth behind the kunoichi's words while ignoring her attempts to fend off his actions, "But we have a choice as well."

"And do you honestly think that our pride would let us settle with any other option than to fight?" Tenten inquired rhetorically, expecting her companion to have no answer.

And indeed he did not, other than give a scoff dripping with his amusement. Though she refrained from turning around, the girl could practically see the smirk on his face. If there was one thing young Uchiha was familiar with, it was pride, both his own and the pride of others. There was no a single shinobi that had ever worn the engraved symbol of their respective villages that did not possess the trait, both for the place that they swore to protect and for their own ambitions. And as his own history had shown, those that valued the latter over the former were more likely to betray their homes and doomed to live a miserable life chasing unattainable goals. Without a strict sense of morals, there can be no foundation to one's success. Sasuke had learned that lesson the hard way after years of training under Orochimaru's care.

"I didn't think so," the talented weapons specialist commented when he gave no other response, taking his silence as answer enough.

Lightning reached across the expanse of the darkened clouds looming over the village, briefly illuminating the otherwise pitch black room and the world that waited on the other side of the window glass. The land that stretched out before them seemed so peaceful and quaint, littered with tall structures that credited their solid foundations to the history of the village. But it was an illusion they both knew better than to believe, Sasuke most of all. No matter how strong a foundation there is, with the right leverage and manipulation, even the toughest fortress could fall.

As if wanting to prove that point right, another explosion burst into flames in the distance near the outer walls, soon followed by a large mushroom cloud billowing towards the dark storm clouds overhead; another failed attempt made by the Sound-nins to breech their borders. To that indication, the kunoichi could only smirk with pride. The explosive tags were working like they were supposed to, the way she had designed them to. But it was only a matter of time before all her traps would be no more; nothing lasts forever. With that depressing thought in mind sobering her expressions, Tenten waited for the deep boom of the detonation to come after as the sound waves struggled to catch up to their flashy counterparts. After all, it was a scientific fact that light traveled faster than sound. And she could only hope that the statement was true concerning shinobis as well.

"As the minions of a Legendary Sannin, you'd think those Sound fools would know by now," someone commented with the same emotionless attitude that he used to address most matters concerning the war, "Launching a direct attack isn't going to work."

Turning nonchalantly to face her new guest, the steel mistress could only smirk at the young man's remark, none too surprised at who she found standing at the door. The barely audible shuffle of his footsteps and the whispering sweep of his clothing as he moved told her of his presence long before his decision to speak, and even then she needed no announcement to know who it was. After all, there were only two other people with access to the upper levels of the building or who even knew where she would be at this time, and Sasuke was already standing beside her.

"It's good to finally see you again Lord Kazekage," Tenten greeted quietly amid the chaos that was raging outside, prompting the former demon vessel to finally step into the room, "I had hoped we would meet again under different circumstances."

"As many times as I have corrected you, you still insist on calling me that?" Gaara inquired towards the girl, sounding irritable as ever, though she could see no serious weight behind it, "I believe we are all past formalities at this point."

Light sandals moved with the stealth of a cat at his slow advance, looking almost tempting with his graceful movements in the dark, maneuvering around furniture and forgotten weapons littering the floors. He was every bit of the shinobi leader that everyone had grown to respect over the years, the mass of fearful citizens finally overlooking his past as the former holder of the Shukaku spirit and seeing the dedicated protector both Sasuke and Tenten had always known him to be. A few quick strides across the room and Gaara was there standing next to the pair, completing the tripod that was their sorted relationship.

"...Sorry," the brunette apologized half-heartedly at his previous statement, just as she felt his cool fingers slip around the curves of her wrist, "Force of habit."

"Then I will have to break you of that habit," came the sand-nin's sneering retort, gently brushing the pads of his thumb across the bone.

"Is that a promise?" she challenged further, finding this little game of theirs entertaining enough, encouraged by it when she felt the ends of Sasuke's hair tickle the nape of her neck.

An exchange of knowing and teasing smirks had the three of them almost instantly falling into the roles that had been set so many years ago when they were mere children playing at the game of Shinobis. And for the first time in months, Tenten had to admit to herself that she missed this. It had been too long since the three of them had been together for more than a few seconds. Instances of intimacy during their relay missions to Suna and quick kisses after alliance meetings in Konoha were all that the threesome could afford in the midst of warfare when spare time was a scarce luxury. And as she felt herself sandwiched between their two towering forms, the kunoichi could hardly care about what was going on around them. All that mattered for that brief moment was that they were together once more.

The moment was cut short though, as yet another set of traps were triggered by the agents of Hidden Sound, this time shooting up a spray of debris and clumps of dirt along with it. The reminder was enough to bringing her back to reality as well, stilling her advances, much to the disappointment of the two men occupying the room with her. The traps were giving the leaf-nins some time at least, keeping the enemy busy while they replenished their energy and stocks. But it would only be a matter of time before those were gone as well and the soldiers would have to rely on themselves to ensure that Konoha would remain standing.

"Persistent, aren't they?" the former keeper of the sand priest's spirit murmured quietly, stating what we all already knew.

"They're testing our defenses," the kunoichi finally responded, turning back around to look out of the window in hopes of distracting herself from the allure of having both of her lovers occupying the same room, "They're looking for a weak point, like any good shinobi would."

"If that is true then I suppose Orochimaru has taught them well," the young village leader from Sunagakure commented skeptically, "But I highly doubt that is the case."

"I wouldn't underestimate him if I were you," the weapon goddess responded teasingly, directing most of her statement to the shinobi standing next to her, "He is a Sannin after all, and he did a pretty good job training Sasuke, considering…"

She let the sentence hang, knowing how sensitive the young Uchiha was about his years spent under the Legendary Sannin's teaching, and with good reason she supposed. They were the darker days of his existence, a time when nothing but vengeance and the gaining of power mattered. Friendship and loyalty were qualities that the Sharingan user had to forsake in order to gain what he needed to avenge his fallen clan. In the end, though, things had turned out differently than anyone could have ever expected. It had been a long, hard road towards revelation, but Sasuke had come back to the village on his own; to a place where the people held mixed feelings about his return. Understandable. One of the only remaining heirs to a once prominent clan in Konoha and he had thrown away all the years of history, all the generations of tradition for his own, personal vendetta. Betrayal was something that could not be forgiven so easily…but it was not impossible.

"In any case, they seem to have proven themselves enough to greatly concern the Hokage," Tenten continued on, "…She's set Operation Phoenix into motion."

"Are you sure?" Sasuke inquired demandingly, turning towards her in strained alarm.

"I was there when she signed the official papers this morning," the young girl replied calmly, never once taking her eyes away from the window, "My team was charged to deliver the messages to all of the commanding officers in the village."

Curious to see what the reaction would be of one so even-tempered and controlled, the kunoichi looked on with interest as a mix of confusion, shock, and understanding melded into the features of the shinobi's face as silence settled in the room. Seeming in a daze of thoughts and stifled emotion, Sasuke turned and sought out the nearest chair to take a seat. It was in that moment that Tenten was allowed to catch the corner of Gaara's eye twitched unnoticeably in a wordless inquiry, completely unaware of the weight of what had been said.

"What is Operation Phoenix?" the red-head finally asked when it became apparent that neither of the other two would explain.

"It's…it's an extension to the village's protocol concerning foreign ninjas," the young leaf-nin began, taking the lead with answer the Kazekage's question, "It was created after Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage, and was only to be used as a last resort."

"With good reason," the steel mistress retorted with a frown, folding her arms over her stomach with a huff, "Operation Phoenix would leave no one left alive."

"I don't understand."

Sighing, Sasuke stood up from his seat and started to pace the room. It was obvious that his mind was still swimming from the realization of what was about to happen to the village, the place that all of them had grown to love and wanted to protect more than anything. But with the initiation of Operation Phoenix, that ideal was becoming less and less possible. With forces on both sides of the line still holding strong despite the shortage of resources, the decision to more towards more drastic measures of fighting had been inevitable. The war had been waging for months now, after all. It was obvious that the Fifth Hokage was looking for a quick end, or at least a short reprieve.

"Legend has it that when it is time for a phoenix to die, it bursts into flames, burning itself from the inside out," the kunoichi finally spoke out, giving an opening for her companion to answer Gaara's question, "Only then could it be reborn in its own ashes."

"The way Operation Phoenix works would be the same concept," the Uchiha's chimed in, "With all of the enemy's forces inside our walls - "

" - You would the destroy entire village," Gaara interrupted, figuring it out and finishing the thought on his own, "But the citizens - "

" - Would be evacuated and taken to strongholds hidden deep within the mountains, which they were this morning," Tenten concluded with a hint of sadness, "And in twenty-four hours, Konoha will be nothing more than a mass grave."

Sobered by that thought, all three stood in there respective places as each mulled over exactly what that meant for the Hidden Leaf Village. War was filled with casualties and sacrifices so it should have been no surprise that things would eventually turn out this way. Gaara looked on at his two lovers from Konohagakure, helpless and unable to understand the emotions that were obviously coursing through their bodies, the thoughts that were plaguing their thoughts. A ninja's loyalty to their village meant everything and to knowingly continue on with a plan that would destroy it…he could only imagine what that was like.

"Well…looks like a big storm is brewing on the horizon," Tenten finally stated as she glanced out through the window glass, drawing the attention of both brooding shinobis to her and away from their own ponderings, "It's a perfect day to die, don't you think?"

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**Next Month's Theme:** Drifting


	25. The Breath of Life

**Theme:** Drifting

**Pairing:** ShinoTen

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Note**: APOLOGIES! I was so busy with school that completely forgot to update for the month of August. Forgive me! D:

**The Breath of Life**

Loud clangs of metal and hard thuds of impact against skin were the sounds that had pulled the weapon goddess from her dazed dreams, clouded with irrelevant thoughts still clinging to the edges of the girl's consciousness. It took a moment for her to reorient herself, to remember their situation: the squad of enemies that had been trailing them since they left the Rain-nin compound, the pilfered scroll stored in with her other things, their successful escape the previous night, and the inexperience of the other squad members. The sight of Shino crashing through the brush under the force of a thousand senbon needles raining down on him quickly cleared all the fog that was clogging up her mind. They were under attack, and like a true kunoichi of her stature, Tenten's first instincts had the brunette reaching for her weapons.

"Captain!" she called out with concern, wondering just how long he had been battling while she had been carelessly sleeping away the morning.

Sending out a spray of senbon needles to drive back the enemy's attacks, at least temporarily, Tenten ran to Shino's side, stooping down and holding out a gloved hand for him to take. She saw him hesitate for a moment out the corner of her eye while he paused to regard the girl's offered hand. But a line of kunai just off-center from slicing through the tendons of the bug master's leg had the young Aburame quickly accepting her help as he pulled himself up. Once on his feet, he wasted little time launching a counterattack, the buzz of the insect tamer's kakai bugs already filling Tenten's ears. Within no time, the wall was up and she was preparing her attack. But the enemy had the advantage of having the element of surprise, made clear when the kunoichi heard the telltale sounds indicating the Rain-nin's planned ambushes on the rest of their squad.

"How did they get her so fast?" she inquired, pulling open a scroll that was particularly filled with throwing knives.

"While we were resting," Shino stated simply, making all the implications he needed with those four words.

With a simple gesture of his fingers, he opened up a space in the insect wall for Tenten to make her move, watching in calmed observance much like before while the sharp-edged blades sliced through the air towards their opposition, explosive tags attached to the smooth handles. A flash of light filtered in through the space in between the bugs and an eruption of greyish clouds from the explosion puffed up around them, serving as adequate cover for their movements. Tenten only glanced back once to make sure that the young Aburame was following her before rushing back towards the nearby bushes. There would be no cover for them if they remained so close to the riverbank. But when she stopped to catch her breath, the younger shinobi was nowhere in sight.

_Shino, where are you?_ the steel mistress thought with concern, _What are you up to?_

The dull buzzing in her ear told Tenten that he was still nearby, just laying in wait for the right moment. But to do what? The kunoichi trusted Shino in his effective planning abilities even in the most dire of situations; he had proven himself a good leader on several occasions when the two had been assigned to a mission together. Still, there was so much uncertainty on the battlefield, especially when taking into consideration the inexperience of their team. And sometimes, it was possible for even someone like the young Aburame to make mistakes and bad judgments, though rare as they may be.

"I just have to make sure whatever he's planning goes well," Tenten muttered to herself, "He'll take advantage of my offensive abilities and his defensive abilities, I'm sure."

That thought in mind, the weapon goddess formulated her own plan of attack. There had been no time for Shino to tell her the how many surrounded them, nor what capabilities they possessed. The young Chuunins of their squad would be of little help as well, scattered in the forest as they were from each other. She could only rely on her previous knowledge of the Rain-nin's jutsus and hope that would be sufficient enough to at least subdue them. Shino had mentioned the possibility that the enemy shinobi had traveled on through the night while their squad had stopped to rest and regroup. That would be a great advantage for the Leaf squad as it would mean that the agents from the Rain Village would be low on energy. But there was also the untold likelihood of soldier pills coming into play as well. So many unknown variables that Tenten had to consider in the all too familiar setting. And yet she could not stop the smirk that slowly formed on her lips at the thought.

Pulling out a rolled parchment lined with green trim, she summoned a collection of chained sickles and netting before pulling out a stack of explosive tags from her arsenal. The protocols of the mission had required Tenten to leave her giant scroll at home for more stealth capabilities, and forced her to rely on the number of weapons her smaller ones provided. Though not as impressive by appearance, they were not to be underestimated. The chained sickles alone would not hold the enemies for long, but it would take them a while to struggle through the tightly woven netting, attached with a small amount of her own chakra. She fastened those together with the explosive tags to ensure that the trap would be effective for a great amount of distance in order to cause maximum damage. The only problem with that plan was that Tenten could have no way of getting the enemy shinobis cluster together in the appointed area where her trap would be most effective.

A familiar flicker of chakra signaled her to Shino's presence nearby, little slivers of kakai bugs already appearing on the edges of the small clearing. He was making his move, which surprisingly seemed to coincide with her own plans as Tenten spotted several shinobis of the Rain Village appear, fleeing from the insect tamer's attacks. Setting the timer on the tags, the kunoichi waited for the right moment in which to set her trap. But just as she was preparing for the moment, the steel mistress felt an arm slip around her neck with a jerk. She was pulled against the foe's chest in an instant, struggling to pull the limb off of her windpipe as her impulsively-made weapon dropped and rolled across the forest floor.

Blunted nails scraped and scratched at the skin of the shinobi's arm as he pulled the kunoichi to her feet, dragging her struggling body out into the clearing where Shino could see. The clearing went silent and still the moment she felt his eyes lock on her through his tinted shades, the Aburame's army of beetles hovering dangerously over the other agents of the Rain Village. It was a stale-mate, each side holding a trump card for the other to consider before continuing this battle. But Tenten's mind was still on the unstable ball of explosive tags laying innocently on the ground, quickly scanning around the immediately area until her eyes fell upon the discarded trap. In the next instance, she glanced at Shino through his glasses, trusting, hoping and praying that he had seen what she had been looking at and understood the young kunoichi's wordless plan. A guarded nod indicated that he did.

In an instant, Tenten had shoved the heel of her palm into the shinobi's chin, throwing his head back and loosening his grasp on her with the point-blank blow. The move also attracted the attention of the others gathered around them, allowing Shino to grab the forgotten trap she had made. Grabbing her assailant's arm, she flung him around in his dazed state, sending him crashing into the nearest person. Out the corner of her eye, the kunoichi spotted the young Aburame's shadow flitting down to grab a hold of her toy just as another Rain-nin made to pull it out of his grasp. And then she heard the soft rip from one of the explosive pieces of parchment.

"Tags!" Tenten shouted to her commanding officer, her only word of warning before she dived behind a nearby tree for cover.

There was no time to warn him any further, there was no time to ensure he would escape the trap in time. She would merely have to trust that he was still on the top of his game, even after all the brutal battling he had already done. A moment later, there was blinding flash followed by a loud boom, and a hot rush of air as the explosives ignited with the firepower of the hundred plus tags that she had fixed around the chained sickles. She felt rather than heard the spinning blades hit the objects around them, feeling one stray sickle whiz by over her head until it embedded itself into a tree trunk with a dull _thunk_. Whoever was not killed by the explosion, would more than likely have fallen victim to the flying weapons of steel.

"Shino," Tenten whispered to herself, hoping beyond hope that her captain had found cover in time.

Risking a glance and trusting to the silence that had befallen the forest area, she peered out from behind the tree and quickly assessed the situation. Blood littered the grass, pink streaks wavered and disappeared down the river. There was no sign of movement from anyone; no sign of life. She left her heart quicken as she surveyed the bodies, feeling a mixture of relief and panic when Shino was not among them.

"Where is he?" the kunoichi inquired breathlessly to no one in particular.

It was only by chance that she heard the soft splash over the rush of the river, recognizing the familiar bulk of his jacket as Shino's unmoving body floated just above the surface of the water. Laying facedown and making no effort to fight the current, she watched for only a moment while his body was swept away before Tenten made to run after him along the riverbank. Whether he be dead or unconscious, the kunoichi would at least make an attempt to save him. Brown eyes darted from the raging rapids to the strip of land that stretched out before her, maneuvering around any object that got in her way while keeping a visual contact on the Aburame's floating form. Only when the crop of his hair disappeared under the current did she think to dive in after him.

The water was ice cold to the touch, nearly knocking the wind from her lungs as she was submerged into the chilling rapids. But all that idle prattling was forgotten as the steel mistress kicked her way towards Shino's lifeless form while it drifted down the river, floating as if he were suspended in space. Reaching out, stretching her hand out to him, Tenten felt the tip of her fingers brush against the cloth of his jacket, and she feared he would slip away before she would have a chance to save him, to return the favor he had given her the previous day. But whether by some miracle or simply by pure luck, the current pushed her closer and she was able to grab a fist-full of fabric, instantly breaking through the water to fill her lungs with some much needed air.

With all the strength that was left to her, Tenten pulled the young shinobi to shore, weakly dragging Shino's body to a dry patch in the sun, far away from the speeding rapids. She only took a moment to catch her breath, already yanking at the zipper of his jacket to check the young man's vitals. An ear pressed to his clothed chest, she listened for any signs of life. The kunoichi was more than glad to hear his faint heartbeat…but Shino was not breathing.

"Alright, Shino," the weapon goddess mumbled, shaking hands slipping off his trademark shades as they moved to tilt his head back and open his mouth, "Don't die on me."

They had taught them how to perform CPR back at the Academy, just as a precautionary thought in the curriculum of their training. And Gai-sensei had made it a priority for his students to retain the basics of their education with an annual recap of what they should know. But even so, Tenten never had any need to practice such skills, and it was difficult to know if she was doing it correctly when a stuffed target dummy had been their drowned victim.

Wiping away a bead of sweat and lingering droplets of water from her forehead, she carefully pinched the air passages of his nose and leaned down to breath out a steady stream of air into his mouth. Pausing, Tenten listened and felt for any signs of life and felt nothing. No breathing. Another few puffs and another pause to check his heartbeat as well as his breathing. Still there was nothing. And his pulse was fading fast.

"Come on," came her soft plea, "You're tougher than this."

Clasping her fists together like she had been taught, Tenten firmly pushed down on the shinobi's chest three times, right over his heart, before continuing with the CPR. Seconds passed like hours, and the kunoichi felt as if her head would explode from the lack of response. She was getting tired and her hopes were beginning to fall as well when finally…Shino began to cough up the water that had gotten into his lungs.

"Shino," Tenten sighed in between her exhausted pants, leaning back onto her haunches to give him room to breathe in what she supposed was much needed air, "Welcome back."

"…What…?" A damp hand came up to press against his throat, feeling the stinging rawness as fits of coughing wracked through his body. He looked to her to fill in the missing details of his clouded memory, trusting the kunoichi to know the meaning behind his unfinished sentence. In answer, she merely nodded to the river and let him fill in the blanks for himself.

"You never woke up the next watch did, you?" she asked instead.

A pause, followed by a hesitant nod was her answer.

"And you let me sleep through the rest of ours…after…" Now it was her turn to pause as the weapon goddess considered how exactly to address the matter of what happened the night before and what happened afterwards; his question, her response, and what it all would mean for the both of them.

"Yes," Shino replied, saving her from having to complete that train of thought, "I did."

"…You know, Shino, for someone as smart as you are, you're an idiot."

And with that, she impulsively moved in to wrap her arms around his neck, appreciative that he was alive. There was no thought placed in her action, the kunoichi simply let her body move as it would. She felt his body tense under her embrace, his chakra signature spiking in alarm before settling in his usual uncomfortable silence. But after a time, Tenten could not help but smile as she felt him relax, if only a little.

"…Perhaps I can live with that."

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**AN**: I didn't like how this one turned out so you get a special double posting

**Next Month's Theme:** Recess


	26. Inheritance of Betrayal

**Theme:** Recess

**Pairing:** SasuTen

**Disclaimer:** How many times are you going to make me say it's not mine?

**Inheritance of Betrayal**

Stretching out the muscle in her thigh, the young kunoichi aimed a swift heel kick to her opponent's seemingly unprotected face. But instead of the satisfying crack that would surely indicate a broken jaw, her foot met with the soft flesh of a readied palm. He had been expecting it. And though his condescending smirk did nothing but boil the blood in her veins, the older girl could not help but smirk in return. After all, there was nothing Tenten liked more than a challenge. And who would prove to be more of an obstacle than Uchiha Sasuke after his years training under the Snake Lord Sannin, Orochimaru?

Fixing his fingers around her ankle to keep the kunoichi close, the former shinobi of the Leaf Village drove a chakra-charged punch at Tenten's abdomen and the vital organs that lay hidden underneath the skin. But the mistress of steel was quick, a major benefit from being placed on a squad under Maito Gai, and she had sparred far too many times with the prodigal Hyuuga of the Branch family to allow such a move to happen. If there was one thing Tenten learned through the years, it was avoiding deadly blows at point-blank range.

Swinging the upper part of her body down under the captured leg and out of the way to protect it from the attack, she jabbed a chakra-infused thumb into the Uchiha's side, relying on her perfected accuracy and concentrating on the intercostal space in between the seventh and eighth rib where it would cause the most damage. She felt the muscles twitch and constrict from the force and could feel his fingers tightening around her ankle from the initial pain that such an attack would cause, though all that came out of his mouth was a barely audible grunt, bordering on a growl. But it had been enough.

Taking advantage of the pause (however brief it was), Tenten pivoted her hand on the thumb jammed into Sasuke's side and took a firm hold of his training shirt, using the new-found leverage to bring the heel of her other foot up for a strike to the chin and free her foot from his grip. To replace the loss of support from the move, the kunoichi pressed the palm of her free hand against the ground and used the momentum of the attack to flip back onto her feet in a crouched position while he stood stunned.

"Tsk, tsk," came a smug voice to her right, practically dripping with condescension as he spoke, "You're getting sloppy, Sasuke."

"No one asked you, Kabuto," the rebellious shinobi spat out, the latter part of the sentence sounding strangely muffled.

Tenten glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the Uchiha prodigy swipe a knuckle across his lower lip, wiping away the small trickle of blood that had been the direct result of her quick attack. And with that image, a bud of pride blossomed, though it was short-lived. Because shinobi with his level of skill and experience were never to be underestimated, especially when taking into consideration who his sensei had been for the past three years.

"Just a lucky blow," he added as an afterthought while dark eyes, glinting red with determination and something else entirely, met with brown, "It won't happen again."

Tenten narrowed her eyes in return. "Sharingan."

Through her connections to both Hyuuga Neji and Maito Gai, she knew enough about the bloodline limit to be extremely wary of it. She had seen first hand what Sasuke was capable of doing with it long ago during the Chuunin Exams, and that had been when the young prodigy was still new to the techniques and concept, still not yet mastering it. Now, after years of cultivation, there was no telling what would come of it.

"A pity," Kabuto murmured from the side, reminding them of his presence, "I was just beginning to enjoy this match."

"Don't count me out just yet," Tenten interjected, not at all willing to be cast aside so easily, "I've had experience fighting against a Kekkei Genkai before, after all."

"Hm." The smirk that flashed across Sasuke's lips was prideful and arrogantly confident with just a hint of mocking playfulness, everything she had grown to expect as a reaction from the young man. "Maybe, but this isn't anything like Byakuugan."

"Tch, the way I hear it, Sharingan is just a second-rate bastardization of Byakuugan," the kunoichi retorted with a taunting smirk of her own, "So I'll be sure not to worry so much about it."

This time it was Sasuke's turn to narrow his eyes at her. Gone was the playful disposition from the previous exchange of words, and with it the smirk that had been poised on his lips. The games were over. Now, it was down to business.

And Kabuto could not miss his chance to add a snarky comment. "Oh, I think you've gone and hurt his feelings."

Sasuke gave a quiet growl as both shinobis glanced fleetingly at Kabuto, each giving a look that spoke of his insignificance to their minds at the present moment. Locking eyes once more, swirling red and solid brown, a wordless agreement was made between them: there would be no holding back this time around.

_Not that I was holding back much before_, Tenten thought with concern.

As skilled and experience as she was, the kunoichi knew from her experience sparring with Neji that fighting against a bloodline limit would be anything but easy. And with Sasuke's life-long goal of defeating and killing his brother looming over the outcome of the match, there would be a good chance that the steel mistress would be sporting a few more injuries by the end of the day. Yes, she would resign herself to that 'fate,' as Neji would put it. But Tenten would be determined to take the young Uchiha down that road with her as well.

Both shinobis rushed forward in the same instance, as if a signal had gone off in their minds to indicate the start of the match. Sparring for as long as they had with each other, such idiosyncrasies were to be expected to develop among partners. Tenten had shared a great many with her former teammates because of the long hours of training they had spent through the years. But this...it was almost too much for her to bear.

Facing another opponent at the level that Sasuke possessed brought back memories for her, of days when her team still had the time to train together without the hassle of dealing with conflicting schedules. The dark resolve glinting in his Sharingan eyes seemed so much like the look that Neji's ivory orbs would hold; the blinding speed and reckless determination reminded her of Lee's lifelong goal to prove the fruits of his hard work were for a purpose. He was like a ghost of her teammates, embodied into one being to haunt the kunoichi's long forgotten memories.

With a burst of chakra, the young Uchiha increased the speed of his charge, turning him into a blur of black and grey. Something Lee could never do. And that had broken the spell that had fallen upon her, forcing the former Leaf-kunoichi to focus on the match. Knowing that she could not defend herself against such a high-speed attack, Tenten skidded to a stop and turned her body just in time to avoid a full body contact, using that same motion to reached back and grab a kunai from her weapons pouch. She felt rather than saw Sasuke breeze by her and moved on instinct, making a slash at him with the kunai in her hand. The wind from his movements blew past only seconds after Sasuke had passed, kicking up a light cloud of dirt in its wake.

Turning to face her opponent, the weapon goddess brought a hand up and touched the curve of her arm, not at all surprised to find small trickles of blood sliding down from the newly-made gash. She had felt the dull sting of the blade slicing into her skin when he had swept past her. Had she not moved, he would no doubt have slit her throat. Lee had done the same once during one of the few times that they had sparred together. After she was released from the hospital, he had decided it would be safer for him to not use weapons during their matches because of his speed advantage. Across the field Sasuke was examining his injuries in a similar manner, feeling his fingers over the wound across his abdomen that she had managed to make.

"Chakra blade," Kabuto commented at Sasuke's questioning look while he rolled the blood between the pads of his fingers, "Impressive."

Without pause, Tenten charged forwards once more, throwing three kunais at Sasuke while his guard was down. He easily rolled out of the way of the assault just as easily as she had avoided his attack, and used the momentum to charge forwards once more as well. In a fury of blurs and glinting steel, the two former agents of the Leaf Village clashed again and again, neither one willing to give up so easily. But Tenten was in a losing battle, both against the talented prodigy and with her weakening body. Her knowledge of fighting against such speed and chakra control were useless if her body could not keep up. And that was when Sasuke finally made the decision to end the battle.

As they charged at each other once more, the young Uchiha began concentrating a small amount of chakra in the palm of his hand. Little tendrils of lightning and static crackled and jolted from his hand in a low-grade Chidori, appearing only half as powerful as the one Tenten had seen him use during the Chuunin Exams against Gaara's sand shield. An attack like that would certainly not kill her as it almost did the sand shinobi, but it would be enough to give substantial injuries should it connect. But it was too late to pull back now; Tenten had too much momentum to stop as she had done before. So she continued forwards, ducking down at the very last moment to avoid his chakra-charged hand, and in a last effort to fight back, she darted upwards to shoulder him in the stomach as hard as she could.

A wisp of air and a small twitch of movement was all the warning she received before his hand slammed down into the small of her back, knocking the kunoichi off balance and pushing her face first into the ground. With the added force of their charge, her body skidded and rolled across the field, kicking up puffs of dust from the tumble, finally stopping on her side with a dull thud. In the distance amid the confusion of her ungraceful fall, Tenten heard Sasuke moving, shifting, stumbling to his feet. With a cough and a groan, she struggled to stand as well. Her stubbornness would not let her commit to defeat so easily, despite her injuries. The blow to his stomach had lessened the chakra concentration and so there was less power in his Chidori attack, but there was still internal damage; she could feel it.

"Had enough?" Sasuke called from the other end of the training grounds.

Tenten lifted her head in defiance to her aching muscles, just enough to fix her blurring vision on his form and note how he clutched his stomach protectively. "I'm still alive aren't I?"

"Tch, that means nothing. Just give up already."

Fixing a smirk across her lips, she responded mockingly while fighting through the pain of her injuries, "What's the matter, Sasuke? Afraid to... i ugh /i ... to fight a girl?"

Scoffing, Sasuke only frowned in anger. "Fine, if that's how you want it."

Reaching back, the nuke-nin unsheathed the Kusanagai blade that he had been carrying the entire time, never once touching it until now. The handle gripped firmly in his hand, Sasuke stepped forward, sword stretched out in front of him to taste blood once more. He never landed his mark however, as Kabuto barred the prodigy's way.

"I think that's enough," he said coolly.

"Stay out of this, Kabuto," Sasuke practically growled.

"She will be of no use dead." Pushing back the frame of his glasses so that it sat perfectly on the bridge of his nose, the medic-nin surveyed and assessed the damage between both shinobis. "It's clear that neither of you can hardly move. I'm afraid class is now dismissed."

Coming to that realization as well, the young Uchiha begrudgingly withdrew his sword, sliding it into its protective sheath once more. Meanwhile, on the ground Tenten was fighting her body's need to shut down from exhaustion, and losing quickly. She blinked a few times to try and clear her vision, but only found that the world became tainted red with the blood dripping down from the kunoichi's forehead. She strained to continue listening to the conversation between the two shinobis of Sound, only to find their voices nothing more than garbled nonsense. Finally, with one last effort to push herself up, Tenten's body gave out, turning the mess of colors and movement into permanent night.

Later on, she woke up to a familiar searing pain just behind her left temple, cringing when it slowly spread to the rest of her brain. Moving to massage away some of the ache, Tenten found her movements sluggish and slow, drowsy as if someone had pumped her blood with cold medicine and soldier pills. _Another one of Kabuto's sedatives_.

Knowing the cause of her body's delayed reactions, she took another moment and waited for the drugs to finally wear off before attempting to sit up. All the while, she replayed the spar over and over again in her mind, finding the flaws in her technique and plotting ways to work past them so that next time, she would finally beat the proud clan prodigy. Eyes shut to the dank smells and dim lighting of her assigned quarters, Tenten waited what seemed like hours until she felt a light tickle against her toes. Whiskers. With a soft groan, the kunoichi slowly turned to her side, glancing down at where her leg dangled over the edge. An irritated frown was all that she offered to the mouse who stared silently back.

"Honestly, Ongaku, you have the worse timing," she mumbled tiredly.

"Easy to blame someone who can't talk back to defend himself."

Begrudgingly, she pushed herself into a sitting position, turning to the side to rest her feet on the wooden ledge of the bed as a pale arm reached out from underneath. Under normal circumstances, such a thing would have been considered strange, but for Tenten, it had quickly become a common occurrence within the past few weeks. If asked exactly when it had all started, the kunoichi would admittedly say that she did not know. There were so many events and instances that had happened between the time she was first brought to the Sound Village and the present moment that it became hard to keep track of all that was going on. The days passed by without notice, and she never realized when the line between loyalty and betrayal had blurred into a greying limbo of uncertainty. All that Tenten could manage was to watch with mild interest as the main cause of it all emerged from the trap door hidden under her bed.

"Have you no sense of decency?" she pouted, doing her best to will away the lingering traces of Kabuto's concocted medication.

"Not particularly," Sasuke replied evenly, glancing at her as he dusted himself off, "And last I checked, neither did you."

A snerk of amusement came her response. "Only when it comes to you."

Tenten saw a faint smirk form in the corner of his mouth as he scoffed in return at their on-going banter, and found that she could not help but share the sentiment. With a love of taunts and teasing, it was no big wonder that the two of them had eventually formed a tolerable relationship...if it could even be called that. Placing labels on things that were difficult to define was a pointless endeavor, and there was no title in the world that could identify just what had formed between the both of them.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, the small trace of amusement disappearing just as quickly as it had appeared.

"Normal, considering my blood is chalked full of chemicals courtesy of our resident medical specialist." Tenten was still feeling sluggish as she worked her fingers through some simple movements. Even closing and opening her hand seemed difficult, off from how it normally felt. There was no way she could hold a weapon in such a state let alone defend herself. "Though I suspect there won't be anymore sparring for me tonight."

"Not that kind, anyways."

With a scoff and a light chuckle, Tenten slowly stood from the mattress and began pacing the room to reorient her legs to the action, grateful that she could at least walk after one if Kabuto's treatments. To this day, she still winced at recalling one occasion where the Sound medic had left her paralyzed for an entire day after giving her one of his experimental medications. "Save the propositions for someone who'll actually find them flattering."

Suddenly, in one smooth motion, her back was slammed against the wall and a hand was gripping tight around her throat. Tenten gasped for oxygen that would not come as Sasuke's palm pressed harder against her windpipe. Locking eyes with the younger shinobi, her brows furrowed in defiance to the silent threat he was posing, even as she felt her body aching and burning for air. The swirls of his Sharingan eyes were already spinning in anticipation of any attempts to escape, though the precaution was unwarranted. She was not going anywhere, they both knew it. And Sasuke took it upon himself to steal the opportunity.

Moving swiftly, he pressed his lips against hers, unexpectedly. Her body trapped between his and the wall, there was nothing for the kunoichi to do but stand there and endure as she had always done. But then came the familiar heat in the pit of her stomach that always came when they were engaged in such activities. It was not from love, and certainly not from desire that this feeling surfaced, but from a primal need for contact that dated back to the beginnings of mankind. And after a few moments locked in the kiss with Sasuke, Tenten was more than willing to give in to those instinctual urges. But it was then that the steel mistress felt his grip loosen just a fraction around her neck. And that was all that she needed.

With a hard shove, she pushed him off of her and took in a harsh breath, gasping for some much needed air to fill her deprived lungs. Leering daggers in his direction, Tenten swiped a knuckle across her bottom lip in disgust to rid herself of his taste. Whether it was more from discuss at herself for entertaining the thought of succumbing to his wants or whether it was simply an open dig to his male pride, only Tenten would know. But no matter what she did, the memory of their kiss still lingered. And that angered her more than anything. "Did you get all that out of your system?"

"I thought you would appreciate some compensation for your troubles during our spar." Thin lips quirked up in his trademark smirk, still arrogant and devious as the day she had been brought to Sound against her will. But then again, unconscious bodies were useless when it came to putting up a fight.

She scoffed without a second thought and rolled her eyes at the notion as she rubbed away the soreness his fingers had left behind on her neck. There would be marks in the morning, which would only mean more excuses that Kabuto will more than likely not believe. Despite his more questionable tactics, he was a good physician. Even now, traces of her brush against the Chidori were nearly non-existent thanks to the medic-nin's talents. "You mistake me for Karin who actually cares about that sort of thing."

"Right," Sasuke mumbled, quirking a skeptical brow, "Because you just sleep with me for the training and endurance."

"Don't mistake hormones for actual affection, Sake," the kunoichi countered easily, mockingly innocent, "It makes you seem desperate."

Tenten smiled at the ghost of a frown that flitted across his face, satisfied at getting him back for nearly choking her to death. It was never a real threat that he would kill her. Sasuke needed her services too much to so carelessly toy with her life in such a way. At least in that, Tenten could find reassurance. "I thought I told you never to call me that?"

"Tch, and since when have I ever listened to you?"

It was not out of love or some great affection that the whole affair began. Tenten would attribute it to the loneliness that the isolation in the Village of Sound produced. Sasuke would merely blame it on convenience, though she knew better than to believe that. There was no camaraderie, no friendship to be hand among the village's agents, something that had been supported and encouraged in the Hidden Leaf Village. So for two who had been raised on such a principle of teamwork, it had not been all that difficult to form some level of trust...which quickly led to other things. And somewhere between the hatred and tolerance, their strange friendship had begun.

Kneeling down for a brief moment, Tenten scooped up the small rodent into her hand, stroking the short hairs as she stood once more. The whiskers on Ongaku's nose twitched with his usual curiosity, prodding between the creases of her fingers for a reward for his services.

"Does he suspect anything?" Tenten questioned idly, her focus more on their tiny messenger than on his answer.

"You ask as if I should be reporting to you," Sasuke responded evenly, quirking a brow at her, "You're _my_ second in command, remember?"

"I was unconscious thanks to a certain someone," Tenten said with a pointed look in his direction, "I just want to know of Kabuto suspects something between us."

Crossing his arms in a casual manner, the former Leaf agent began pacing around the room, more than likely entertaining a thousand different thoughts in his mind. "Nothing other than the obvious, but it's never safe to assume with him."

"He caught us in bed together, Sasuke." the kunoichi pointed out with a nonchalant shrug, "There is no assuming about it."

"It doesn't matter now. What's done is done." Stretching out his arms, Tenten watched quietly by his side as a pair of snakes slithered out from the sleeves of his shirt. "We've more important matters to deal with."

They were a shade of green and brown that she could only remember seeing in one place. Down below the leaves of the treetops, past the branches to the very foot of the trees and bushes, hidden by all the splendor of the forest lived the shady underbrush. It was there and only there where the darkness resided, where creatures slithered and skulked, stalking their prey. Perhaps it was a small reminder of all the things he left behind, all the things he had given up for the sake of his goals. So fitting, so poetic, so...beautiful.

"If only they knew what we were really doing when we weren't training." With a devious smirk good enough to give his a run for its money, Tenten stepped up to stand beside the Uchiha clan member to join him in his devilish plotting. The take over would be slow in the making, a true test of their endless patience. But it would be well worth it to finally see the fruits of their labor. "They'll never know what hit them."

"And by the time they do, it'll be too late," Sasuke added with his own smirk as the snakes slithered and coiled around the markings of his arm, the mark of his inheritance of power under Orochimaru's teachings. "The Sound Village will be under our control."

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**AN**: Due to my busy class schedule this semester, I won't be able to participate in the next round of monthly themes at tensquared. However, this does not mean that DEB will no longer be updated. It only means that they will come sparingly and when I can find the time to write. In the meantime, I'll be going over the chapters and renaming them.

**Next Theme:** ???


	27. Underneath the Underneath

**Theme: **Chocolate

**Pairing: **Sasuke/Tenten

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but these words.

**Underneath the Underneath**

Admittedly, the side-long glances and general attention had seemed fairly odd at first. Especially after spending the first few months of her residence in Oto confined to her quarters. With good reason. Orochimaru had still been uncertain about giving her free reign to walk about the base unsupervised. He had even went as far as to assign a guard _inside_ of the kunoichi's room at night to ensure that she was not attempting some sort of escape. But as time passed on as it always did, the stares and wandering eyes became easier and easier to ignore. After all, she supposed, when you were chosen to become the personal sparring partner to Uchiha Sasuke, a bit of recognition and curiosity was in order.

"I guess that's how he felt," Tenten muttered quietly to herself as she quietly stepped through the doors of the library.

Suffice to say, the Snake Lord had gathered a substantial collection of books and scrolls over the years, ever searching for a way to gain eternal life so that he could further achieve his goal to learn every single jutsu both known and unknown to man. Included the forbidden techniques, if his appearance and tactics during the Chuunin Exams not too long ago had proven anything.

Ever the seeker of knowledge, Tenten had found herself drawn to the worn pages and musky scrolls.

"Here again?"

And apparently, she was not the only one. Then again, as they had discussed on several occasions, this had been his sanctuary long before Tenten ever arrived. And on more than one occasion, the kunoichi wondered if that was simply a trait that the Leaf had instilled in them, the want to know and understand more of the world. From what she had seen of the others, the Oto-nins seemed only interested on improving their fighting.

Shrugging at the thought, she strolled over to the nearest shelf of scrolls and began browsing through the talismans in an idle manner. "What can I say? It's like chocolate."

"...Pardon me?" The corners of her mouth quirked up just the tiniest bit as she followed the sound of his voice towards the end of the row. She could practically see his brow lift with muddled curiosity.

"Dark, rich, addicting..." she listed off, turning the corner to find herself face to face with the traitorous shinobi himself. In his hand was an unmarked scroll that looked more than out of place among the others. But rather than give any attention to it, Tenten continued on. "A pain to deal with at first, but after some effort, it's not so bad."

She could only smirk with a level of satisfaction as Sasuke furrowed his brows in confusion before holding out the scroll for her to take. Another message. "Something tells me we're not talking about the library anymore."

And in spite of herself, Tenten allowed the smirk to sharpen and morph, only adding to the devious look in the kunoichi's eyes. "...Who said I was talking about it in the first place?"

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**AN:** STILL ALIVE! ...Even though I haven't updated this thing in almost two years. Apologies for taking so long, and for writing something so short. Life has kept me busy and I've taken to writing long drabbles these days. But I have been writing! Expect at least two more chapters to DEB in the following weeks! 8D


	28. Skin Deep

**Theme: **Strawberry

**Pairing: **Sasuke/Tenten

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but these words.

**Skin Deep**

Knowledge was something that had always appealed to Tenten. To possess more of it meant having the ability to develop a better strategy. A more thought-out plan and achieving success. It helped sharpen the senses and brought clarity to an all too clouded world of uncertainty. So it was no surprise to anyone that the kunoichi made frequent trips to the village archives whenever possible. And normally, Orochimaru would have overlooked such behavior. Intelligence, after all, was one of her stronger qualities. But when such visits coincided with one Uchiha Saske, suspicion could not help but form. And in this game of chess, the Snake Lord Sannin had a lot of pawns to sacrifice for the greater good. _His_ greater good.

"Don't worry," she assured him, "_I_ won't be the one to tell him what we're planning."

There was a pause, a moment where his inky-black eyes narrowed the tiniest bit before the young Uchiha gave a small incline of his head. A nod barely notable to tell her that he understood.

"I know."

And in the time it took her to take another breath of air, he was gone. Quick as the lightning that raced through his body every single time Sasuke used his Chidori techniques. Turning a mere few inches to the side, Tenten glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the strawberry red ribbons splatter across the far wall. Away from the books and scrolls. Away from any evidence that would pin the blame on either one of them. Like paint being thrown across an ivory canvas. It was almost beautiful the way the edge of the kunai seemed to cut so cleanly through her flesh. Then again, they were the instruments of war, taught in the art of deception and death. It only made sense that the most prodigal of soldiers would... could paint such an elegant picture of the Oto-nin's last moment of life.

Then, with a sickening slosh, the moment passed. The body fell forward, lifelessly to the ground in a heap. Already, the blood began to pool around the dead Genin.

An easy shift of her stance brought Tenten's attention to the other. They were both former Leaf-nins -- former at this point because of the promise she had made to him one dark night a few weeks back after all the hatred and disdain had lost its steam -- raised on the same principles of life and respect. Already, she could tell that the kill had been hard on him. Because in Sasuke's eyes, there was only one person in the world who deserved to die.

A few steps forward brought the kunoichi to his side. "It was necessary."

"...I know."

"Do you?"

At that, he turned a sharp eye towards her, a glimmer of red in warning at Tenten's implication. Normally, the sight and promise of the Sharingan was enough to put a stop to further prodding. But she had spent a substantial amount of time around the young Uchiha, growing accustomed to his empty threats. Enough to send a look of her own back at him. He would not escape her scrutiny, even if he were capable of ending her life in mere seconds. And perhaps it was that challenging quality in Tenten's character that had helped her move so far past his defenses. Far enough to know that killing and death effected him more than people ever knew. Enough that, after another moment in tense silence, Sasuke simply sighed and turned away.

He was in no mood to battle with her tonight.

"What're we gonna to tell Orochimaru?" the kunoichi inquired calmly. As if they had not killed a young girl with little thought or care.

"That we found her here," Sasuke replied, tossing the standard kunai to lay beside its dead master, "You'd be surprised how many people die on a daily basis in Oto."

"...Not as surprised as you think."


	29. Living Canvas

**Theme: **Vanilla

**Pairing: **Sasuke/Tenten

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but these words.

**Living Canvas**

With a steady breath, she sliced a red line over the span of her palm, the blood pooling to the surface like a rush. And with little thought, Tenten quickly squeezed all that she could into the ink mixture before the wound healed. Just a few drops were necessary for the technique to work, but more would certainly solidify its success. Only when the familiar sting began to settle in did she pull her hand away. And before she could even reach for the bandages, Sasuke was already cleaning off the excess blood and dressing the cut.

"...Thanks," she murmured.

There was no response in return, but Tenten had expected no less. Uchiha Sasuke was not exactly known for his social skills. And just because he had been tolerant of her for these past few months -- nearly a year -- did not entitle the kunoichi to any show of favor... unless one knew where and how to look for the signs. And it was with that thought in mind that she cast a glance at his larger hands meticulously roving around her smaller ones in muted silence. The three-toned blend of color between his pale skin, her darker skin, and the starch white of the gauze creating an interesting contrast to one another. He certainly would not have done such if she were dying on the battlefield. Because if someone was so poorly trained and foolish enough to let themselves get that injured, they did not deserve a second chance at life or failure.

Such was the principle that was taught in the Sound Village.

And perhaps that was another element that separated Tenten from the rest. She was not a shinobi of Sound. Never would be, no matter how long she resided within its walls or worked with Sasuke -- and the Village's leader by association. Tenten did not possess the true heart of a Sound-nin.

None of that mattered though as he quickly finished binding the cut. She did not need to join the ranks of mindless followers. Not when she had already managed to gain his attention. Perhaps not is trust, but Tenten suspected that it would come with time. Meanwhile, she had something he wanted, and that alone would ensure a level of respect. At least for now.

Ignoring the way his fingers seemed to linger around her wrist -- perhaps in uncertainty or a moment of doubt -- the kunoichi tentatively flexed her fingers. Tested the tight restraint of the bandages around her palm and deeming them adequate enough before quickly bringing all attention back to the ink mix. If the blood congealed now, the process would have to start over from the beginning. Sasuke's skepticism was expected. Understood, considering what would be required in the marking. But he had already agreed. And until the first stroke was made, the young shinobi would have every opportunity to back down and turn away. Tenten knew that he would not, though. It was not in his nature.

"Explain to me again why this is necessary," his deeper voice sounded, a darker echo of his former self from what she could remember of their younger days.

"Because," the kunoichi responded while she stirred the mixture, "It'll allow me to access the weapons sealed in the tattoo as well."

There was no need to physically look at him to see the question lingering in the Uchiha's eyes, swirling just on the surface of the Sharingan bloodline. The dark intent and questionable suspicion -- the thick tension -- could be easily felt from every corner of the room. And her own tattoos practically burned under the scrutiny. He didn't believe her, of that Tenten could be sure. And he was very much valid in his disbelief. Not many people understood let alone could master the art of sealing. Even objects as small and insignificant as weapons. In a world where creating and showing mastery in the various jutsu was more impressive, there was no allure or interest in sealing marks. But on that principle alone was where their plan came into play.

The skill was overlooked and unexpected. Much like her. And thus, it would become their trump card.

"We didn't do it with mine because you're too prideful to seek help from anyone, not when you view yourself better than them," Tenten replied to his unspoken question, "And we both know I have no problems asking for your help."

Here, Tenten paused from her work to turn and fully face him, drawing the young man's attention as the senbon needled twirled effortlessly -- idly -- between her fingers. "Besides, considering where my tattoos are, I doubt you'll want to even on the off chance that you _would_ accept my help."

And despite the hard exterior and the distant cruelty of his reputation, Sasuke gave the slightest smirk in amusement, knowing her words to be true. But it only lasted for a moment as more pressing and influential matters urged them forward. Already Tenten was preparing the senbon needle and holding out her gauze-wrapped palm to him. A moment of hesitation -- a moment of unforgivable weakness -- and she felt the smooth skin of the shinobi's forearm glide easily into her hand. Without the arm guards, Tenten could see the blue lines of veins underneath the creamy vanilla skin. Pulsing with life. Inches away form potential death. Any sort of mis-step, any mistake in judgment, and it could very well mean the end for the young Uchiha. And strange though it was, she took comfort in that knowledge, Because Sasuke was willing to place his life in her hands.

"Last chance," she murmured, the point of the needle poised and hovering just over his wrist.

"Just do it," was his evened response.

And after another calming breath, she eased the ink-tipped senbon into the thin surface of his pale flesh, painting over the light canvas of his skin and letting it taste the fresh blood of the last Uchiha left alive in this plane of existence.


End file.
